SAINT PAUL, MINNESOTA – Today, Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement on the results of the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin:
“I am grateful that our legal system has reached a just verdict and held George Floyd’s murderer accountable, particularly given how often it fails to deliver justice in the cases of clear police misconduct towards Black Americans. It is my sincere hope that today’s ruling is the beginning of a new paradigm wherein law enforcement is held to account when they abuse the trust and authority placed in them.
“While George Floyd’s murderer is going to jail, the fact remains that the very systems which led to this tragedy in the first place still exist. Thankfully, there was justice in the courts today, and now we need justice for George Floyd in the legislature. George Floyd should still be alive today, and until we pass serious police reform and accountability measures, the likelihood of this happening again here remains very high.
“Our state and national legislatures have work in front of them to pass real police reform and accountability measures to deliver on the promises we have made to ensure this never happens again. The Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party is committed to delivering those necessary reform measures and creating a public safety system that does right by each and every one of us.”