Derek Chauvin and Three Former Officers Indicted in the Murder of George Floyd
Chiara Espinal
Just under one year ago, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died after Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin held his knee on the back of Floyd’s neck for exactly 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Floyd was stopped by police after a store clerk suspected him of paying with a counterfeit $20 bill ー a mistake that should not have cost him his life. During the horrific arrest, Floyd desperately repeated that he could not breathe. Floyd’s pleas for help were ignored, and on May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered at the hands of Minneapolis, Minnesota police officers, Derek Chauvin, 45, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao, all of whom have since been indicted on United States civil rights charges in relation to Floyd’s murder.
George Floyd’s murder sparked a series of protests in the Twin Cities and across the rest of the United States, but Floyd’s death contributed to worldwide outrage over consistent displays of brutality by United States police officers against American men and women of color. Law enforcement officers across the country expressed disbelief at Chauvin’s actions. Executive Director William Johnson of the National Association of Police Organizations even made the following statement: “I don't know the entire story, but I can't see any legal justification, any self-defense justification, or any moral justification.” Thousands shared in Johnson’s criticism of the arrest, taking to the streets of cities in the United States and around the world to speak up for justice. People in the cities of London, Copenhagen, and Melbourne, among many others, marched in solidarity with demonstrators in the United States. George Floyd’s murder and the death of countless men and women of color in the United States strengthened both calls for an end to racial injustices against Black people and long-awaited police reform efforts.
According to an article published by the APR on May 7, 2021, “A federal grand jury has indicted the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s arrest and death, accusing them of willfully violating the Black man’s constitutional rights as he was restrained face-down on the pavement and gasping for air.” Derek Chauvin was initially convicted in April of 2021 on state charges of murder and manslaughter. Chauvin later asked for a new trial, but the other three officers, Thomas Lane, J. Kueng, and Tou Thao, are set to appear at a state trial on August 23rd. The result of the upcoming state trial is difficult to predict at the moment, but the indictment sends a clear message to United States citizens about the Justice Department’s priorities in this case.
Reactions to the indictments of the four officers directly involved in Floyd’s death were immediate as thousands watched the trial unfold live. George Floyd’s family, political figures, celebrities, and others took to social media to express their joy in the fact that justice has finally been served. Derek Chauvin’s trial was broadcasted live for the world to see, deeming the result of the case as the “verdict heard around the world” by the Washington Post. The conviction of Derek Chauvin incited global praise, with foreign and community leaders everywhere expressing just how important this decision truly was. London Mayor Sadiq Khan tweeted, “the guilty verdict must be the beginning of real change — not the end.” Floyd’s family members also showed displays of resilience and hope for the future. Floyd’s brother Philonise said to interviewers, “I got messages from all over the world — Ghana, London — saying we can’t breathe until you can breathe, … Well, today we are able to breathe again. Justice for George means freedom for all.”
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