NEW YORK—Council Member Farah Louis (D-Brooklyn), Vice Co-Chair of the Black Latino and Asian Caucus (BLAC), released the following statement after a guilty verdict was reached in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for killing George Floyd. Chauvin was found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.

STATEMENT BY COUNCIL MEMBER LOUIS

“George Floyd pleaded for his life while pinned to the ground for nearly nine minutes under the knee of a man who abused his authority, betrayed his oath, and disgraced his badge. As millions of Americans tuned into the trial, two more young Black lives were taken, two more families left devastated by police violence that has become normalized in Black and Brown communities who have been denied equal protection under the law. In the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, the verdict comes on the heels of the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. Despite similar instances of a civilian killed by police on video surveillance, we have never seen families reach such a pivotal stage in the pursuit of justice. 

“This verdict goes beyond simply providing justice for George Floyd and his family. It will symbolize justice for the countless lives lost, including New York City’s own Eric Garner, at the hands of officers who seem to disregard the fact that we are innocent until proven guilty. Our nation will feel the effects of the guilty verdict passed onto Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd for weeks, months, and years to come. While a guilty verdict will not bring George Floyd back to his young daughter, it will open the door towards holding law enforcement officers accountable for their crimes.

“Today is a critical step forward, setting a clear message that police officers must treat Black and Brown people with dignity and respect. We expect police officers to intervene when witnessing misconduct among their peers, particularly when it endangers innocent lives. The inhumane treatment of George Floyd, Eric Garner, and the countless others whose names we will continue to say can no longer be accepted,” said Council Member Farah N. Louis.

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