AUGUSTA – A jury in Minneapolis found Derek Chauvin guilty for the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, whose public killing sparked national outrage. Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, released the following statement in response to the verdict:
“Tonight, I join Americans all across the country in taking some relief knowing that the police officer responsible for the horrific murder of George Floyd has been found guilty. However, it doesn’t change the fact that George Floyd should still be alive today. My heart goes out to his friends and family, who are still mourning this profound loss, and to the countless other families who unfortunately know their pain all too well.
“Make no mistake – this guilty verdict cannot bring back George Floyd. It cannot possibly erase the pain and suffering that his family, friends and loved ones have experienced as a result of his senseless murder. It cannot reverse the decades of police brutality, racial violence, injustice and widespread inequality that have long thrived in this country. Yes, a guilty verdict was the right call, but we cannot become complacent and we cannot pretend that one guilty verdict begins to make things right.
“Just last week, Americans found themselves grappling with yet another senseless police killing – the killing of Daunte Wright, a Black man who lost his life over an expired license plate and the placement of an air freshener. In an instant, his death left parents without their son, a child without their father and a woman without her partner.
“As our country processes a guilty verdict and begins to move forward, those of us who will never know what it’s like to experience the racism and bigotry deeply rooted in our systems owe it to our Black and brown neighbors to work hand-in-hand and support the work that is already happening our communities, led by people of color, to dismantle systems of oppression.”
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