Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on all counts of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. The verdict was announced on the afternoon of April 20, just one day after the closing arguments of the three-week trial.
Convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter, Chauvin has been taken into custody, with sentencing to come.
“No verdict can bring George back, and my heart is with his family as they continue to grieve his loss. Minnesota mourns with you, and we promise the pursuit of justice for George does not end today," said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. "True justice for George only comes through real, systemic change to prevent this from happening again. And the tragic death of Daunte Wright this week serves as a heartbreaking reminder that we still have so much more work to do to get there.”
Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes while he was handcuffed lying face down on the ground, could face up to 75 years in prison. Verdict and sentencing aside, the United States is still in dire need of true systemic change to prevent the murder of Black people by law enforcement.
