Late this afternoon the jury in the State vs. Derek Chauvin case returned guilty verdicts on all three counts against the defendant who murdered George Floyd last May. Chauvin was found guilty for: second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The Judge in the case is expected to sentence the former Minneapolis police officer in the next eight weeks he said in court today. Chauvin could face 40 years in prison.
The first Maine elected official to respond to the groundbreaking verdict was Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D) who said: “George Floyd should be alive today. My heart goes out to his loves ones, who have suffered unimiginable loss. This verdict offers small comfort, but has demonstrated the overwhelming need for the Senate to pass the “Justice in Policing Act Now.”
Pingree’s press release continued: “On March 3, 2021, the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act – landmark legislation to create mandatory accountability standards for police addressed systemic racism in law enforcement.” The legislation originally passed the US House last year in the wake of the high-profile police killings of Black Americans – whose murders sparked marches in nationwide protests. Congresswoman Pingree is an original co-sponsor of the legislation,
Maine’s Attorney General Aaron Frey in a press release said: “The guilty verdicts handed down against Derek Chauvin are important in holding him accountable for the murder of George Floyd. As someone who swore an oath to uphold and enforce the law, I recognize that this murder was symbolic of a criminal justice system which far too often enables the killing of unarmed Black men. But today’s verdict is the outcome of just one case. We must continue to dedicate ourselves to ending the systemic racism that exists throughout our criminal justice system. We have an obligation, especially those of us who work in law enforcement, to pursue a more just system of policing in Maine and across the country. I want to recognize the leadership shown by my colleague, Attorney General Keith Ellison and his team in Minneapolis and I want to thank them for their commitment to justice their efforts demonstrated,” Attorney General Frey concluded.
“The jurors did their job. My heart goes out to the family of George Floyd and I hope this verdict brings them a measure of justice and comfort and allows us to heal and to become a more compassionate nation, with respect and dignity for all people,” was the statement issued by Governor Janet Mills, following the verdict’s announcement late today.
Where is Mayor Kate of Portland on the guilty verdicts against former police officer Derek Chauvin?