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What you need to know about the verdict in the Floyd case

What you need to know about the verdict in the Floyd case

Former police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on all charges. A wave of relief swept through America and the rest of the world after the verdict. Joe Biden calls it a major step in the fight against widespread racism in the US and immediately emphasizes that it is not enough.

Chauvin murdered George Floyd by using a chokehold for nine minutes during an arrest. As a result, Floyd ultimately could not breathe. Several people pointed this out to the former police officer, but he did not respond. George Floyd died on May 25, 2020, due to excessive police violence and was 46 years old.

1) It will take another eight weeks for the sentencing to be determined, but Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all counts. He could face a maximum of 40 years in prison if the judge decides that there are aggravating circumstances. Media reports indicate that Chauvin listened to the verdict without showing any emotion.

2) President Joe Biden called the family of George Floyd during the jury deliberation. He sees this as a first step but emphasizes that it is still far from enough. Biden and Harris are currently working on a law to reform the police apparatus in America, which will be named after Floyd. Barack Obama also emphasizes that Black people always live in fear because the next encounter with the police could be the last.

3) The then 17-year-old Darnella Frazier filmed the footage of the murder of George Floyd that later went viral. In court, she said: “I keep apologizing to George Floyd because I didn’t do more, I didn’t intervene physically, and I didn’t save his life.” It is known that bystanders who wanted to help Floyd were kept at a distance by other officers.

4) The brother of George Floyd reacted after the verdict: “We can breathe again. This proves that George Floyd's life mattered.” The Volkskrant reports that since 2005 there have been nearly 14,000 incidents where police officers shot someone. In 40 percent of the cases, the victim was African American. But only 1.1 percent of the officers were charged with manslaughter or negligent homicide. What an unimaginable injustice.

5) There is a global reaction to the verdict in the Floyd case. Oprah cried during the verdict, and Michelle and Barack Obama emphasize that so much more is needed.

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