Chauvin prosecutor Keith Ellison makes a powerful call for “the work of our generation”

“Since the investigation and the prosecution of this case began last May, everyone involved has pursued one goal: justice,” said Minnesota’s attorney general Keith Ellison in a press conference following former policeman Derek Chauvin’s conviction on two counts of murder and one count of manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd. In his speech, Ellison thanked his team of “all Michael Jordans”— who worked tirelessly and collaborated in pursuit of a common goal, the community who patiently let prosecutors work and gather all needed evidence despite the urgency of the trial, and the jurors who delivered the sentence. Most powerfully, Ellison borrowed a description from attorney Jerry Blackwell when he thanked the “bouquet of humanity” comprised of the witnesses who tried to stop Chauvin from murdering Floyd, recorded the crime, and testified in front of the court, performing what Ellison called “a simple, yet profound act of courage—they told the truth, and they told the whole world the truth, about what they saw.”