A US jury has found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder of African-American George Floyd.
The police officer was filmed kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes last year May 20th.
The video went viral worldwide spurring protests against racism.
George Floyd’s murder
So on the evening of 25th May last year, George Floyd bought a pack of cigarettes at a store in South Minneapolis. But the shop attendant believed that Floyd had used a counterfeit note so he called the police after he refused to return the cigarettes.
Upon arrival, the police ordered George out of his car and handcuffed him. A struggle occurred between them as they tried to force him into their police car.
Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into the back of Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes as he pleaded for his life. And George repeatedly said that he could not breathe. Passersby were watching helplessly. So by the time an ambulance arrived George Floyd was already dead.
The final moments of Floyd illustrated what Black people go through in the hands of the criminal justice system.
Trial and Charges
During the trial of Chauvin, the jury heard from 45 witnesses and watched the video footage.
Derek Chauvin, 45, was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. The jurors debated for ten hours over two days before coming to their decision.
Chauvin had no visible reaction to the guilty verdict. He was taken to a facility in Stillwater, Minnesota.
The verdict has sparked so much celebration all over the world.