Ex-cop guilty of killing Floyd
Washington, April 21
A US grand jury has found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three charges he faced over the custodial death of African-American George Floyd last year, a chilling incident that sparked worldwide protests against racism and excessive use of force by the police.
EDIT: The Floyd verdict
The 12 jurors found Chauvin, 45, guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in one of the most closely watched cases in recent memory in the US.
Chauvin was filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck during his arrest on May 25 after a convenience store clerk in Minneapolis alleged that Floyd tried to pass a counterfeit USD 20 bill.
Joe Biden, President
Chauvin pinned down Floyd, 46, with his knee on the pavement of an intersection for more than nine minutes. “I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe,” were his last words. Chauvin pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. He faces up to 40 years in prison, according to US media reports. With only his eyes visible, the rest of his face hidden behind a surgical mask, Chauvin watched as the verdict was announced. A deputy handcuffed Chauvin and escorted him to a side room. He was later transferred to the Minnesota Correctional Facility. Judge Peter Cahill said sentencing was expected in eight weeks.
The Floyd family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, released a statement following the conviction, saying the verdict “goes far beyond this city and has significant implications for the country and even the world… Justice for Black America is justice for all of America. This case is a turning point in American history for accountability of law enforcement and sends a clear message we hope is heard clearly in every city and every state.” The statement also demanded that the other three officers who played their own role in the death of Floyd must still be held accountable for their actions.
President Joe Biden said: “We can’t stop here. In order to deliver real change and reform, we can and we must do more to reduce the likelihood that a tragedy like this will ever happen to occur again.”
In an address to the nation soon after the verdict, Vice-President Kamala Harris said black Americans and black men in particular had been treated throughout the course of history as less than human.
“Today we feel a sigh of relief. Still, it cannot take away the pain. A measure of justice isn’t the same as equal justice. This verdict brings us a step closer and the fact is we still have work to do,” Harris, the first Black American Vice-President, said. She urged lawmakers to pass the George Floyd Bill aimed at reforming policing in the US. — PTI
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