Derek Chauvin Found Guilty of Murdering George Floyd
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Over the past three weeks, twelve sequestered jurors considered testimony from 45 witnesses in the trial of Derek Chauvin. The former Minneapolis policeman was charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in George Floyd's May 25, 2020 death. He pleaded not guilty.
After two days of deliberation, the jury reached their verdict. Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three counts and was remanded into custody immediately. Immediately after the verdict's announcement, crowds outside the Minneapolis courthouse erupted in cheers.
This trial carries significant weight in the United States, as many Americans saw Floyd's death as exemplary of the racial injustice prevalent throughout the nation. Following the widespread dissemination of video of the arrest, last summer's ensuing Black Lives Matter protests were possibly the largest demonstrations in American history.
Chauvin's trial included testimony from bystanders, police officials, and medical experts, along with hours of video evidence. The jury heard from 38 witnesses from the prosecution and seven from Chauvin’s defense, including use-of-force experts, the chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, and paramedics at the scene.
Per Reuters, "In an arrest captured on video, Chauvin pushed his knee into the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old handcuffed Black man, for more than nine minutes outside the grocery store where Floyd had been accused of buying cigarettes with a fake $20 bill."
Yesterday, President Joe Biden spoke by phone with members of Floyd's family. He told CNN's Kaitlan Collins, “They’re a good family, and they’re calling for peace and tranquility, no matter what that verdict is. I’m praying that the verdict is the right verdict, which is, I think it’s overwhelming in my view. I wouldn’t say that unless the jury was sequestered now, not hear me say that.”
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