In almost a year since the tragic and violent death of George Floyd on May 23rd, 2020, the continuous movement to end police brutality is as momentous as ever. However, recently, the man who killed George Floyd, Derek Chauvin was charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. His murder trial began on March 8, 2021 in the Minnesota Fourth Judicial District Court, and concluded on April 20 when the jury found him guilty on all three charges. While this is most certainly not justice, and does not make up for the immeasurable tragedy and violence that ensued as George Floyd was brutally killed, this trial has been at the forefront of media and news everywhere for many months. 

While the muder of George Floyd sparked nationwide outrage, and ignited hundreds of thousands of people to march in protest of the violence occurring within the U.S. police system, it is shocking to many that Derek Chauvin was not officially sentenced or held accountable by law until nearly eleven months after the murder occured. This statistic represents the lack of promptness and ability to quickly indict offenders for obvious crimes within the police system, and has urged many people to question the way in which the United States justice system is flawed, and what we can do to fix it while prioritizing the safety and justice of all people. Additionally, due to the publicity of the George Floyd case, many were shocked by the lack of promptness to convict Derek Chauvin of the brutal murder he obviously caused due to the utilization of unnecessary and excessive force when arresting George Floyd. While there are many justicial faults to the case, and while the timeline of the case seems inconceivable due to the virality of the video of the specific murder, it is also clear that the final ruling of this case eventually came and convicting Chauvin of the murder he blatanly caused. 

While the details and facts about this case have been circulating within the media for nearly a year, it is also crucial to understand the factors the judge took into account when creating a final ruling and verdict for Chauvin. As Hennepin County District Judge, Peter Cahill states, “Defendant (Chauvin) abused his position of authority by using force that the jury has determined in returning it’s guilty verdicts on all three counts,” (Matt DeLong, The Star Tribune). This statement from the county judge responsible for the Chauvin case, shows the excessive force used by Chauvin, and how this detrimental use of excessive force has taken more lives than should ever have been tolerated or ignored. This is truly a representation of the need for re-information and retraining amongst police and those designated to protect and serve. “The George Floyd case highlighted to me the severity of white privilege, and made me more aware of the actions I can take to stand up and fight against the growing issue of racial inequality.” (Felicia Froio ‘21). This student shares what this case has shown and highlighted for them, and how it caught their attention in terms of white privilege, and the clear racial inequalities that still exist in this country. 

This case has constantly brought about the issue of social justice and police reform to the table. While the outcome was just and provided accountability for Chauvin, we cannot ignore the fact that this unjust and unacceptable use of excessive force is something that is disproportionately impacting people of color, and revealing the injustice and racism within the U.S. police system. This case has brought to light the need for officers to quickly be held accountable for their actions the first time they face an offense, because each use of unnecessary force could cost a human life. While justice will never be achieved within this case, there is so much that can be done to work toward reform and improvements. As Natalie Bush ‘22 says, “Seeing this case evolve throughout the past year has expanded my view greatly. It is clear to me that we need police reform now, and need to re-define and re-instill how detrimental the utilization of excessive force truly is.” This statement gives light to the way that this case has shown people the racial bias, and flaws within the police and justice system and how that can impact entire communities.