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Millions across the nation breathed a collective sigh of relief following the guilty verdict.
Derek Chauvin was found guilty of 2nd-degree murder in the death of George Floyd.
On Tuesday, Judge Peter Cahill announced the jury's unanimous decision in the trial of the former Minneapolis police officer, who was charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after he was captured on video kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly 9 minutes during a May 25, 2020 arrest. He was found guilty on all counts.
Chauvin's most serious charge carries up to 40 years in prison. Sentencing will happen at a later date.
The jury had deliberated for two days after being sequestered by Cahill.
Millions across the nation breathed a collective sigh of relief following the guilty verdict. Among those reacting online to the news were activists, politicians, celebrities and allies with the Black Lives Matter movement.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris called George Floyd's family following the guilty verdict:
President Biden and VP Harris call the Floyd family after the GUILTY verdict! Thank you @POTUS & @VP for your support! We hope that we can count on you for the police reform we NEED in America! ✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/cg4V2D5tlI
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) April 20, 2021 @AttorneyCrump
While former President Barack Obama called for systemic change: "Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more. Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, and we stand with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied."
Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more. Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, and we stand with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied. pic.twitter.com/mihZQHqACV
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 20, 2021 @BarackObama
Read on for more responses to the jury's decision:
ACCOUNTABILITY
— LeBron James (@KingJames) April 20, 2021 @KingJames
330 days to confirm what we already knew. 330 days of reliving the trauma of George’s murder, fearing that the system would let us down again, and mourning so many more that we lost. For a murder witnessed by millions.
— Black Lives Matter (@Blklivesmatter) April 20, 2021 @Blklivesmatter
The evidence of our eyes met at last by accountability in the eyes of justice. #DerekChauvinTrial
— Stacey Abrams (@staceyabrams) April 20, 2021 @staceyabrams
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3! 👊🏾
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) April 20, 2021 @ava
“This is what justice finally looks like for my community.”@sunny Hostin reacts to Chauvin verdict on @ABC Special Report: "This is a movement that we've seen and for that I am so, so very thankful that perhaps we will see real change, much-needed change in this country." pic.twitter.com/acKilTQhMN
— The View (@TheView) April 20, 2021 @TheView
George Floyd's family and community deserved for his killer to be held accountable.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) April 20, 2021 @HillaryClinton
Today, they got that accountability.
Always and forever, Black lives matter.
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The jury's verdict delivers accountability for Derek Chauvin, but not justice for George Floyd. Real justice for him and too many others can only happen when we build a nation that fundamentally respects the human dignity of every person. https://t.co/JyJFztQbDu
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 20, 2021 @SenSanders
PRAISE GOD!!!! Guilty!!!!
— Keke Palmer (@KekePalmer) April 20, 2021 @KekePalmer
Whew.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) April 20, 2021 @BerniceKing
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This verdict does not bring back Mr Floyd. But justice is truth.
— shonda rhimes (@shondarhimes) April 20, 2021 @shondarhimes
Relief. #GeorgeFloydverdict
— Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) April 20, 2021 @Lupita_Nyongo
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And this isn’t even a celebration. #GeorgeFloyd was still murdered before our eyes. He’s gone. His family will never be made whole.
— yvette nicole brown (@YNB) April 20, 2021 @YNB
And how many #DerekChauvin’s are there in the world & on the police force. There’s more than ONE bad apple.
But this enough for this moment. ❤️
Come thru Justice!
— Jada Pinkett Smith (@jadapsmith) April 20, 2021 @jadapsmith
🎨: Shirien Creates pic.twitter.com/kUW29RXcU7
Accountability.#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
— Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) April 20, 2021 @ray8fisher
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George Floyd would still be alive if he looked like me. That must change.
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) April 20, 2021 @GavinNewsom
No conviction can repair the harm done to the Floyd family, but today’s verdict provides accountability.
Now, we must continue our work to root out the racial injustice that haunts our society.
Derek Chauvin: guilty on all 3 counts
— W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) April 20, 2021 @wkamaubell
Now let’s do the entire system of policing in this country.
Guilty. Hell yeah.
— LLCOOLJ (@llcoolj) April 20, 2021 @llcoolj
LOCK! HIM! UP!
— Billy Porter (@theebillyporter) April 20, 2021 @theebillyporter
I was on pins and needles waiting on the verdict of Derek Chauvin to come in. To hear these jurors find him GUILTY on a three charges, I can exhale for now!
— Sherri Shepherd (@sherrieshepherd) April 20, 2021 @sherrieshepherd
Justice, this time, has been served. But there is so much work that remains to be done!#DerekChauvinTrial #Guilty
A guilty #verdict. But this fight for justice is not over. We have a lot of work to do. There is more fight ahead of us. But RIGHT NOW please take CARE of yourself. And let’s take care of each other. Prayers and love to the family of #GeorgeFloyd.
— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) April 20, 2021 @kerrywashington
This will be viewed as a turning point in history and racial justice, as it should be. But there is much work to be done.
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) April 20, 2021 @mariashriver
Finally
— Josh Jackson (@VancityJax) April 20, 2021 @VancityJax
Finally
Finally
Guilty on all three counts. The beginning of #JusticeForGeorgeFloyd thank you jurors.
— Mira Sorvino (@MiraSorvino) April 20, 2021 @MiraSorvino
Thank God!!!!!
— Laz Alonso (@lazofficial) April 20, 2021 @lazofficial
Thank God
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) April 20, 2021 @joshgad
THANK YOU FOR JUSTICE. IT MATTERS
— Sharon Stone (@sharonstone) April 20, 2021 @sharonstone
TO ME
TO US
TO THOSE OF US WITH CONSCIOUS
🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻🤍🙏🏻 #GeorgeFloyd pic.twitter.com/e3bJus84Rn
Hallelujah!!!!!!!!
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) April 20, 2021 @MariahCarey
Justice. Sending love to George Floyd’s family and friends.
— Chris Evans (@ChrisEvans) April 20, 2021 @ChrisEvans
rest in JUSTICE George Floyd ♥️
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) April 20, 2021 @katyperry
Today is a solemn day in America. Join me and my colleagues at the United States Capitol as we stand in solidarity after the Derek Chauvin murder trial verdict is announced. https://t.co/cDqszBZCle
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) April 20, 2021 @SpeakerPelosi
Justice.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) April 20, 2021 @TheEllenShow
GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS. As everyone saw with their eyes.
— Debra Messing✍🏻 (@DebraMessing) April 20, 2021 @DebraMessing
Now we need to CHANGE THE SYSTEM so it doesn't require a man being murdered on camera and a year's worth of protests, to hold police accountable for criminal policing.#ChauvinIsGuilty
Bail revoked guilty on all counts
— John Cusack (@johncusack) April 20, 2021 @johncusack
- Derek chauvin is just a start
The George Floyd police reform act that law must pass.
The insurrectionist in gop including Donald trump -who are as much of a white supremacist must face justice -
GUILTY!!!! As it should be!! Now....Rest In Peace George Floyd. Rest. You and your family have been vindicated. ❤❤👊🏿 #SayHisName
— Viola Davis (@violadavis) April 20, 2021 @violadavis
🎨@4NIKKOLAS pic.twitter.com/DgVFG7UVPF
Justice is a step forward on the difficult road of healing. Sending love to the Floyd family and the great city of Minneapolis.
— Ed Helms (@edhelms) April 20, 2021 @edhelms
ACCOUNTABILITY.
— Jodie (@MissJodie) April 20, 2021 @MissJodie
may he rot in prison for the rest of his days. https://t.co/W3jPhDCYeC
I can breathe... #bydhttmwfi
— LeVar Burton (@levarburton) April 20, 2021 @levarburton
Maybe 4/20 can now be the day we celebrate America standing up and saying no to police brutality, affirming that you will go to jail when you murder innocent people no matter what uniform you wear. #DerekChauvinTrial
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) April 20, 2021 @chelseahandler
JUSTICE SERVED. https://t.co/ZaRIQub9Eb
— Halle Berry (@halleberry) April 20, 2021 @halleberry
May this accountability today mark a true step toward justice.
— Laura Dern (@LauraDern) April 20, 2021 @LauraDern
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Every red heart in every brown chest in America is celebrating and suffering all at once. It is a strange form of suffering to celebrate your justice system finally saying you matter... this time. It’s sobering that we are celebrating society treating us like we are human.
— Mehcad (@MehcadBrooks) April 20, 2021 @MehcadBrooks
One down, many more to go. This verdict took too much marching — and too many tears. Even with all this evidence, people woke up this morning afraid to hope.
— Van Jones (@VanJones68) April 20, 2021 @VanJones68
The message: we must get more involved, like the girl who filmed this. This should never happen again. We need change. pic.twitter.com/hrI0bKLyHW
Thank you Jesus! I’m in tears. May your legacy live on forever #GeorgeFloyd. 🙏🏽❤️
— Ciara (@ciara) April 20, 2021 @ciara
