Local leaders respond to verdict in Derek Chauvin trial

AUSTIN, Texas - Austin-area and Texas leaders are responding to the verdict found in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

A jury found Chauvin guilty on all three counts of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd in May 2020.

Chauvin has been remanded into custody and his bond has been revoked. Sentencing has been set for eight weeks from now.

Local leaders are responding to the verdict, including Austin Mayor Steve Adler who shared this statement:

"This prosecution and today’s verdict address the immediate need for justice and are symbols of the commitment communities like Austin have made to hold police officers accountable and to implement social justice and policing reforms to ensure the safety of and justice for all residents, especially those of color.

"Last summer’s social justice protests in Austin have led to a thoughtful and deliberative process locally aimed at re-imagining how we might achieve even greater levels of public safety for our city. I’m proud to be part of a city that is seriously addressing  the hard issues and taking action consistent with what we see, are learning, and know to be right and just."

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Austin City Council member Greg Casar posted a Twitter thread of his response to the verdict, saying in part: 

"Many of us have been afraid for days that Derek Chauvin would be found not guilty, despite what the video so clearly showed in broad daylight. The guilty verdict today provides important accountability, but it does not provide real justice."

Councilmember Alison Alter also shared her response via Twitter, saying in part:

"Derek Chauvin’s conviction is only one step towards providing healing/justice for George Floyd’s family + for our nation as a whole. It’s up to us to honor Mr. Floyd + the many others lost to police violence by transforming public safety and making our communities safe for all."

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Texas Democratic Party Vice Chair Dr. Carla Brailey issued the following statement on the verdict:

"After nearly a year of grief, pain, and outrage, in the wake of the senseless killing of George Floyd, we are left knowing that his killer will be held accountable. Nothing can bring back George Floyd, or erase the pain and loss his loved ones continue to suffer. But today’s verdict is a solace, small as it may be. We are seeing real change in our country. 

"George Floyd’s murder rallied millions and millions of Americans to take to the streets last year in our collective grief and outrage. We showed the world that we will not accept police brutality, and that the senseless killing of Black Americans will finally be met with consequences. All of us play a role in moving justice forward, and it starts with addressing the inequalities in our justice system. 

"Today’s verdict is a small step towards the dismantling of the gargantuan barrier that has prevented justice for so many families and communities affected by this national epidemic of senseless killing of Black Americans. It is a small step towards healing.
"My heart and thoughts are with George Floyd’s family today. This is an incredibly difficult, emotional time for them and for all the loved ones of the far too many Black Americans who have lost their lives to police brutality. Today, tomorrow, and always, Black Lives Matter! Black Lives Matter! Black Lives Matter! The fight is not over. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright, Jamarri Daiwon Tarver and far too many others should still be with us. We will keep fighting for justice in their name. 

"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us that, ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.’ Today, we can say that the arc is finally bending towards justice, so let’s continue protesting and pushing for equality, racial equity and major change to fulfill our promise of democracy."