Washington, Apr 21 (FN Bureau) Hours after a US jury pronounced former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty in George Floyd’s murder trail, US President Joe Biden said the verdict is a chance to create significant change towards addressing racial injustice, but called on more action to reform the justice system. “We have a chance to begin to change the trajectory in this country,” Sputnik quoted Mr Biden as saying. “This can be a moment of significant change,” he added.
Mr Biden said the Chauvin verdict is a step forward but far too rare. He added that the Senate must adopt the House-passed George Floyd justice reform bill so that he can sign it into law immediately. US Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a press release that a federal civil rights investigation into Floyd’s death while in police custody is ongoing despite the guilty verdict. Earlier in the day, a US jury in the state of Minnesota found former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in connection to Floyd’s death last May.
Floyd’s death triggered mass protests in a large number of major cities in the United States, where demonstrators denounced police brutality and demanded justice for African Americans who suffered at the hands of US police officers. Chauvin faces a maximum of 75 years in prison. His sentencing will be delivered in eight weeks.