George Floyd the verdict....

Definitely the correct decision.

I think that I an just waking up to what a momentous decision this verdict is.

IT IS THE FIRST TIME A WHITE POLICEMAN HAS BEEN FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER OF A BLACK MAN - EVER!!

How many black people have died at the hands of the police?

This at last is justice.

Let us hope the BLM movement begins to argue for a complete restructuring of the institutions in society. The U.K. included.

I noticed that the UN has criticised the Race Report as a sham produced by Johnson!s government.

killed killed by police

MayBee70

The only thing that crossed my mind this morning (and this isn’t excusing the police officers in any way) is I can’t imagine what it must be like policing a country where everyone you deal with potentially carries a gun. Having said that they are trained to deal with such situations. But it must make their job very difficult.

So many people carrying guns but three times as many black people killed as white in a country where around 75% of the population are "white".

It is considered that the video evidence weighed very heavily with the jury in the Floyd case.

PippaZ

Suziewoozie, they were charged with aiding and abetting murder. I don't know if other charges can or will be added now Chauvin has been found guilty.

Thank you

What has changed is that the police actions can now be recorded by people and instantly made public.

This can now provide evidence of what happened, and indeed in many cases show a more truthful record than that admitted by the police.

We see this in the Floyd case, we saw it on Clapham Common and it can only provide greater justice imo.

Suziewoozie, they were charged with aiding and abetting murder. I don't know if other charges can or will be added now Chauvin has been found guilty.

Alexa

I hope Derek Chauvin is not going to be made scapegoat for institutional racism among the police.

If he’d been found guilty of racism, then you could argue that he was a scapegoat, but he wasn’t, so isn’t.

The only thing that crossed my mind this morning (and this isn’t excusing the police officers in any way) is I can’t imagine what it must be like policing a country where everyone you deal with potentially carries a gun. Having said that they are trained to deal with such situations. But it must make their job very difficult.

Alexa

I hope Derek Chauvin is not going to be made scapegoat for institutional racism among the police.

He’s been found guilty of murder - that does not make him a scapegoat. I’ve just read on line that 3 other officers are to be tried together in August. Don’t know on what charges.

Daniella Frazier is the name of the teenage girl who filmed the whole thing on her phone. Had she not done that, it’s unlikely this would have gotten as far as it has. She’s a hero and she helped get...not justice, because that just isn’t possible after what Chauvin did, but consequences.

I hope Derek Chauvin is not going to be made scapegoat for institutional racism among the police.

JaneJudge

I hadn't seen the footage of him before being put in the car. He was clearly agitated, why didn't they give him time to calm down? It just struck me as SO unnecessary and all those people who kept coming forward and saying please get off him now Are the other two officers going to be charged too?

The other officers are being held and have been charged.

The two officers who were with Chauvin also have histories of violence between them.

Whilst I agree with this verdict - I do think there is a danger of turning George Floyd into a saint.

I don't think this is what anyone wants. However, it did take this man to lose his life for change to begin, so he will be remembered. What we all should want is justice for all.

We also need to bear in mind that our policing is policing by consent - the common consent of the public. In the US policing has a strong relationship between politics and the police. We have a movement in the politics of this country towards White Supremacy and also, in my opinion, English White Supremacy. We need to ensure that groups supporting these views do not gain power if we feel that the policing that led to the death of George Floyd - an example of what happens daily - is not to come here.

This is the first time a white policeman killing a black man in this state has been found guilty of murder. Before this the only time a member of the police has been found guilty of killing a member of the public it was a black policeman and a (very wealthy) white woman. In the US the law gives "qualified immunity" to law officers and in many States, the force investigates its officers.

Hopefully, all countries can learn from one another.

I am always wary of the motivation of those worldwide who choose a police career. Of course many are indeed decent people looking to make a contribution to society, and I have known several like that. But it was clear they stood no chance of promotion because they lacked the nastier streak that gets you to the top. I offer in support of this the recent Clapham Common vigil, where Ms Dick, despite the delicacy of one of her officers being the chief suspect in the murder that precipitated it, cynically chose to deploy resources to monitor what went on. An assembly of grieving, frightened and angry women needs careful watching? I don't think so.

The other thing people have brought up about the police evidence at the trial.

The questions they were asked were never ones of opinion but straightforward questions of fact.

So unless they were willing to perjure themselves and I couldn’t see then lying to such obvious questions, what they said was fact. Simple as that.

EllanVannin

Chauvin had a history of violence in his job as a police officer.

You do surprise me

Chauvin had a history of violence in his job as a police officer.

Prone restraint needs to be banned imo. There have been deaths in my county where police have prone restrained someone and they have died. They use them inside patient assessment units too, use them on young people with autism. It all needs to be stopped

I hadn't seen the footage of him before being put in the car. He was clearly agitated, why didn't they give him time to calm down? It just struck me as SO unnecessary and all those people who kept coming forward and saying please get off him now Are the other two officers going to be charged too?

One policeman in particular encouraged Chauvin. That needs looking at.

With regard to the police training etc. I think they certainly need looking at, but everyone agreed that Chauvin had received training on a yearly basis I think it was with regard to correct procedure and duty of care to those under arrest. He was fully aware of what the result would be when subjecting Floyd to the violence he perpetrated on him. He did not stop even after Floyd lost consciousness.

25Avalon

Suziewoozie I am not saying he was innocent. Perhaps I needed another word. Some say the police were brave in condemning him but the other side of the coin is they knew the whole of their Department would be in dead schtuck so they came out and threw stones at Chauvin so to speak. This could have been to deflect any blame from themselves. Lots of people are very anti police and will continue to be so unless their methods of policing are overhauled.

I agree that it can be very convenient to think that having convicted him, everyone else is off the hook. It will be interesting to see what happens now to his accomplices. I also wonder what we’ll learn now about DC’s disciplinary/ complaints history?