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State leaders, officials and public figures react after Derek Chauvin found guilty on all charges in the death of George Floyd

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4 years ago

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PLANO, TX – After a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty on all charges, including the second-degree murder of George Floyd Tuesday afternoon, state leaders and public figures shared their thoughts across social media platforms.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson tweeted there’s more work ahead, but justice was delivered and the system worked.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins echoed Mayor Johnson in his thoughts that there’s still work to do across this nation.

He said he believes the verdict was the right result based on the evidence. And now, “we must return to the work of transforming police interactions, investing in communities and insuring [sic] the right response to each call.”

City of Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said justice was delivered and this is about progress and equity.

“This is about commitment to intentional change and preserving the dignity of every life. In Fort Worth, the work continues,” Price said in a statement.

She also added that it’s an emotional day for communities of color and that those seeking emotional support can call or text My Health Resources ICARE at 817-335-3022.

Democratic representative Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30) shared that today’s verdict is not justice but accountability, and hopes the Floyd family finds peace knowing that “his life inspired a generation, sparked a movement and changed the world.”

Democratic representative Colin Allred (TX-32) said we should honor George Floyd and stay “committed to the police reforms we need” and pass the “George Floyd Justice Policing Act” into law.

Congressman Marc Veasey of Texas’s 33rd District believes the verdict is a turning point and said in part, “there is still so much work to be done in the fight for justice for the countless Black and Brown people who have been killed by police. We must remain dedicated to pushing for critical reforms needed to address systemic racism and protect the lives of Black and Brown people across our country.”

The Dallas Wings organization fully supported the verdict and said in conjunction with the WNBA and its Social Justice Council the fight for equality will continue.

“While justice was served in this particular case, we must not forget this verdict does not eliminate systemic racism, nor solve for the countless instances where justice has not been the outcome. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the Floyd family,” the Wings said in part of a statement.

Dallas-based coalition Mothers Against Police Brutality (MAPB) praised the jury’s decision but said that the verdict cannot return George Floyd back to his family.

“Police brutality is a routine part of policing. The use of deadly force takes the lives of a thousand people a year in America,” said MAPB founder Collette Flanagan. She created the coalition after Dallas police killed her son, Clinton Allen, a 25-year-old unarmed Black man, a father of twin sons.

MAPB believes the system of policing is a national crisis and needs to change.

“The reforms that police departments adopted in the wake of the murder of George may help, but they don’t reach the deep current of racism and brutality that runs through our police departments,” said John Fullinwider, a co-founder of MAPB.

“The jury sent an unmistakable message today that George Floyd’s death was unnecessary and criminal, that every individual accused or suspected of a crime has a right to his day in court and should not be slaughtered on a public sidewalk and that a nation that purports to be a beacon of law, justice and equality is better than what we saw in that video.⁣
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“We are pleased that the jury convicted Chauvin on all three charges: second-degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. It sends a strong message.⁣
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“While we are delighted by the jury’s verdict, we are mindful that there’s still a lot of work ahead of us. Our criminal justice system remains deeply flawed. Black people disproportionately remain victims of police brutality and are more likely to be pulled over or cited for negligible or phantom traffic violations. Let us not relent in our efforts to press our local, state and federal elected officials for police reform, particularly as it relates to qualified immunity, bias training, de-escalation training and uniform hiring standards.⁣
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“My prayer is that this will ignite a safer society where justice is equally allocated to absolutely everyone irrespective of socio-economics, race, religion or gender. Thank you to the many officers who do not stoop to such atrocities and honestly work toward protecting us every day.” 

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