Credit: Hennepin County Attorney’s Office
Local officials and advocates reacted to the Tuesday guilty verdict in the trial against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who killed George Floyd last May in an case that sent shockwaves around the nation.
Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
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Chauvin is set to be sentenced in the coming months and is being held behind bars.
The movement reignited by Floyd’s murder were the driving force behind a Levittown demonstration and the large march Black Lives Matter march in Bristol Borough.
Below are reaction from local officials and organizations:
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U.S. Sen. Bob Casey:
U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey:
“Derek Chauvin was convicted by a jury of his peers of the murder of George Floyd. My sympathies remain with the Floyd family. While nothing can cure the hurt the Floyd family lives with every day, I do hope this verdict brings them a degree of solace.”
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Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick:
Gov. Tom Wolf:
“George Floyd’s murder was a tragedy. Sadly, it is a tragedy that has been repeated time and time again in our nation.
“Today, we have seen justice for George Floyd. But we must acknowledge that we are living within a broken system.
“We know that one verdict will not, by itself, change the course of our nation. But this verdict was made possible by the bravery and ceaseless advocacy of people who stood up and called for change, and it marks a turning point. Thank you to all of the community leaders and advocates who called for justice and refused to be silenced.
“The work of changing policing, of fighting for racial justice, of ending centuries of discriminatory and traumatic policymaking, is hard and painful. It is also, above all, necessary.
“As we reflect on the memory of George Floyd, and all those who came before and after him, we can celebrate a measure of peace, knowing that justice has been done today. Tomorrow, we must reaffirm our commitment to doing the hard work to address injustice and inequality in every community across the nation.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro:
“Today’s conviction is one step of accountability on a long road toward justice. The failures of our system haunt our country’s history, from Dred Scott to Rodney King to Trayvon Martin, but we can write a new chapter.
The mandate of equal justice under the law must be fulfilled each day and in each case. Let us resolve to continue our collective efforts to combat structural racism, in all its forms, and in all institutions so that we may achieve real and lasting justice.
My heart is with all Americans experiencing pain and trauma tonight, and with the Floyd family, who will spend their lives missing George Floyd — their dad, their brother, and their friend.”
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NAACP PA State Conference:
When a Black person has been unjustly treated by law enforcement, the cry for justice has been loud and clear. However, in the case of George Perry Floyd, Jr., it was louder than ever from the entire world. “On this day, justice prevailed. The verdict of guilty on all three charges represents a strong message that imparts accountability for the horrific actions of police officer Derek Chauvin”, states President Kenneth Huston.
Unfortunately, this tragedy cost George Floyd his life, but the outcry of humanity spoke to the hearts of the jurors to be courageous enough to respond with a demand for justice. Since the murder of George Floyd, far too many others have fallen to the inappropriate misconduct of police officers. Excessive force must cease. Accountability of law enforcement is a must. Black lives do matter!
Bucks County Commissioner Bob Harvie:
“No, no, we are not satisfied and will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
With today’s verdict, we move a small step closer to a more just society. But unless we all take the time to examine our hearts and root out prejudice and ignorance, any progress we have made will be lost.
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Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub:
“I am relieved that justice has been served with the jury’s verdict in convicting Chauvin of George Floyd’s murder.”
Bucks County NAACP:
We are gratified that the jury in this case knew that what we all saw on that tape was purely and simply murder. They recognized that a badge is not a shield from accountability.
Unfortunately, even since the murder of George Floyd, we continue to see police behavior that makes every Black parent afraid for their children when they leave the house. All of us deserve to know we are safe with and protected by our police. We must stand together to demand substantive reform that delivers real public safety for everyone, no matter the color of their skin.
We call on all who believe in the promise of America to join us in:
-Ending the horrors of police brutality and a criminal justice system that has failed us so often
-Demanding that our Pennsylvania General Assembly pass substantive reform that holds police accountable and makes families and communities safer
-Calling for the collection of data on police encounters
-Ending qualified immunity that shields law enforcement from any responsibility for their actionsLet us together ensure that the deaths of George Floyd and so many others before and since were not in vain.
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Bucks County YWCA:
The conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the 2020 killing of George Floyd is an indication that the police brutality and violence that has plagued our nation will no longer stand, and the blatant disregard of Black lives and people of color will no longer be tolerated.
Today’s verdict offers a moment of respite and hope, yet we know that much more needs to be done to ensure that no more lives are lost as tragically, senselessly, and unjustly as George Floyd. In too many communities across the country, the trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve is often frayed and in some areas is broken. We have been and continue to be challenged by the daily trauma of excessive police force, racial violence, and brutality in our communities. Our hearts and prayers remain with the family of George Floyd as they continue to grieve the loss of their father, husband, brother, and friend, and to all those who have suffered the loss of their loved ones as a result of police violence.
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