LatinoJustice PRLDEF Statement on Verdict Reached in Derek Chauvin Trial
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2021
Contacts:
Elianne Ramos | Chief Communications Officer | [email protected] 212.739.7513
Sarai Bejarano | Manager of Traditional & Digital Media | [email protected]| 212-739-7581
LatinoJustice PRLDEF Statement on Verdict Reached in Derek Chauvin Trial
Justice Prevails in Chauvin Case, but Verdict will do Little to Protect Communities of Color
New York, NY- On Tuesday April 20th, 2021, the jury in the Derek Chauvin trial reached a verdict of guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd. Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, was charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, back in May of 2020.
The verdict comes after two days of deliberation. On May 25th, 2020, George Floyd was killed during an arrest after Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for several minutes. The death of Floyd sparked outrage nationwide against police brutality.
The following is a statement on the verdict reached in the Derek Chauvin case issued by LatinoJustice’s Deputy General Counsel, Jose Luis Perez.
“We are glad that the jury called Derek Chauvin what he is: a murderer. Too often, we have seen police officers and other law enforcement agents murder people, particularly people of color, only to find that they face no consequences for such misconduct. Although the jury heard the evidence and recognized George Floyd’s murder for what it was, today’s verdict will do little to protect our communities or communities of color from police violence without sustained public pressure and activism. George Floyd was murdered by Derek Chauvin, but he was also murdered by a national police culture that promotes violence as the solution to disorder without regard to the consequences. During the trial, 64 people were killed by the police in America, including Adam Toledo, a thirteen-year old boy who had complied with an officer’s command to put his hands in the air when he was shot in the chest. The only way to reduce the harm police cause is to reduce the size and power of police forces in this country and demand accountability, which we will continue to do through activism, advocacy, and litigation.”
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About LatinoJustice
LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of law to secure transformative, equitable and accessible justice, by empowering our community and by fostering leadership through advocacy and education. For more than 40 years, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has acted as an advocate against injustices throughout New York and beyond. To learn more about LatinoJustice, visit www.latinojustice.org.