On April 20th, the jury in Derek Chauvin’s trial agreed that he was guilty of murdering George Floyd on May 25th 2020, in Minneapolis, USA. The verdict was on three charges including second-degree manslaughter, as well as second and third-degree murder.
In 2020, police had responded to a call from a store employee who thought Floyd had used a counterfeit bill to buy cigarettes. Floyd was sitting inside his car when the police got to the store parking lot. Prosecutors describe that he was pulled out of his vehicle and that the officers found it hard to handcuff him because he was resisting. Once handcuffed, he cooperated with the present police officers until they tried to force him into the police car. Floyd exclaimed that he was claustrophobic. This moment was when Chauvin entered the scene and forced Floyd to fall. In a video seen worldwide, Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes. Floyd had indicated to the police officer several times that Chauvin was prohibiting him from breathing. Yet, Chauvin did not remove his knee. After six minutes, Floyd did not respond anymore. It was only 3 minutes after that, that Chauvin stopped pressing down on Floyd. Later that night, around half past 9, George Floyd was pronounced dead in the hospital.
The murder caused protests around the world. People demanded justice and the arrest of the police officers involved in the incident. The world united against racial injustice supporting the “Black Lives Matter” movement against police brutality. Chauvin was arrested four days after Floyd’s death, and after 278 days his trial started. During the trial, Chauvin’s lawyers tried to get him acquitted by stating that Floyd had died due to other causes such as fentanyl, which was found in his system, and that the way Chauvin handled the situation was “unattractive but necessary”. The prosecutors presented evidence against these arguments by bringing medical professionals to explain that Floyd died from asphyxiation due to Chauvin’s actions. Moreover, they showed the video and brought eyewitnesses to the stand.
The trial lasted 26 days, of which 10 hours were used by the jury to decide their verdict which means that in two months Chauvin will be sentenced. The different charges mean different consequences. Second-degree murder is charged when the person in question murdered someone without the intention of doing so and, if convicted, can be put in prison for up to 40 years. Second degree manslaughter is charged when the person causes death by acting carelessly and not properly. If convicted, ten years of prison or a 20,000 dollar fine are given to a person. Third-degree murder is charged when the person in question murdered someone without intention and without planning it. The person convicted goes to prison for 25 years or pays a 40,000 dollar fine.
People celebrated the conviction of Chauvin because police brutality against African Americans is usually not accounted for. Even though Floyd’s family and the black community received some justice, protesters expressed that this conviction was not the end of the road. “Protesters say the calls for justice for George Floyd do not stop after this verdict” (BBC). Action against racism and police brutality will continue to occur.
Tuite, Chris. “Guilty!” City of Minneapolis Celebrates Derek Chauvin Verdict, Demands Real Change, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2021,
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