PORTLAND, Ore. — Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murder and manslaughter on Tuesday in the death of George Floyd. After his trial, Gov. Kate Brown called the jury's decision "a single step toward police accountability."
Chauvin killed Floyd on May 25, 2020, by kneeling on his neck for several minutes. Bystander video of the incident triggered protests for racial justice and police accountability across the nation. Portland has been an epicenter for the unrest, seeing more than 100 consecutive nights of protests last year, some of which turned into riots. Demonstrations have carried on into 2021.
"Justice was served today," Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement following Tuesday's guilty verdict, calling it "an encouraging waypoint on the long road to justice and equity."
Wheeler declared a state of emergency Tuesday to prepare for the possibility of unrest in the city following Chauvin's trial, saying local law enforcement agencies, Oregon State Police and "select National Guard members" will be in place if needed.
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt said although the verdict delivered justice, "it will not, by itself, transform the criminal justice system that took the life of George Floyd."
He added, "This moment must serve to remind us of the tremendous gulf between where we are and where we truly must be."
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) tweeted that Chauvin is "rightfully being held accountable for the murder he committed," and said "we must work to ensure that full accountability is also afforded in each and every case where Black Americans have been killed by public safety officers in horrific violations of justice."
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) tweeted that "real justice would be George Floyd being alive today."
He continued, "Today’s verdict is only one step in the march to justice. That destination will be reached only when accountability like today’s verdict becomes the rule of law."
Several Oregon law enforcement leaders and agencies released statements in response to Chauvin's trial:
