'George Floyd's Life Mattered': Local Politicians React To Derek Chauvin Verdict

BOSTON (CBS) -- On Tuesday, a jury found former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts in George Floyd's death. Chauvin held a knee down on Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes last May.

The verdict was anticipated across the country and many local politicians reacted to the news.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker said, "But for many, the most important unanswered question since that awful night has been much more personal: Where is the justice for George Floyd – and for that matter, Officer Chauvin? Nothing can reverse the pain, suffering and agony of George Floyd's family and friends, but this decision does make clear that Officer Chauvin was not above the law. He was given a fair trial, found guilty, and he will pay a price for his actions. But as the countless, tragic events that took place at the hands of law enforcement before and after George Floyd's death make clear, there is much to do to correct, reform and reimagine the way law enforcement officers are trained, and how they and their departments are held accountable for their actions."

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New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu tweeted his support for the charges against Chauvin.

"George Floyd should be alive today, and while he will sadly never be able to return to his friends and family, we can appreciate that justice through our legal system has been delivered," Sununu began the thread.

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"George Floyd's life mattered, and today his family, friends and community got the justice they deserved. But today's verdict does not bring him back, and it only begins to scratch the surface of what our country must do to atone for the shameful, racist policies that have denied and stripped Black Americans of their rights for generations," said Sen. Ed Markey. "George Floyd deserved to live his life fully. His children deserved to have him grow old with them. His community deserved to have him continue his life of service and mentorship."

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On Twitter, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins said, "I am afraid to think of what would have happened without Darnella Frazier's video which captured Chauvin in all his evil and nonchalance, slowly draining the life out of Floyd. How often have officers gotten away with murder because there was no video?"

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"Last year, in every state and around the world, people of all colors, genders, and ages took to the streets to demand justice for George Floyd. Make no mistake: true justice would look like George still here with us right now, but today's verdict is proof that police officers are not above the law, and equally important, that Black lives matter. Still, a single conviction doesn't fix our system. Nor does it change the fact policing in the United States has a violent, flawed history. That history will continue to repeat itself if we fail to entirely transform the institution of policing...To start, we must root out racist police officers, create systems of accountability within the ranks and establish stronger relationships between cops and the communities they serve." -- Rep. Seth Moulton

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"Today, the jury made the right call in the name of accountability. The officer who murdered George Floyd and showed reckless disregard for the law has been convicted for his crimes. But accountability in this case does not bring George Floyd back. One verdict is not a solution, but it is a step forward and an opportunity for all Americans to do the hard and necessary work ahead." -- Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey
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"The horrifying murder of George Floyd that was witnessed by the world has been met with truth and accountability. While today's verdict cannot bring back their son, brother and father, I pray it brings the Floyd family peace and healing, as well as the entire Minneapolis community. Our quest for justice does not end here. Too many of our Black and brown neighbors continue to be brutalized and killed by a system that targets them for the color of their skin. We must confront systemic racism in America and enact the Justice in Policing Act into law, a bill that will transform our policing system and prevent tragedies through accountability. George Floyd's life sparked a movement, and we will honor his legacy by continuing our march for justice and equality for all." -- Rep. Katherine Clark

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Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued the following statement on the verdict:

"Despite today's guilty verdict, this system can never deliver true justice for George Floyd and his family. True justice would be George Floyd, alive today, at home with his fiancé, children, and siblings.

"The truth is that we never expected justice from this trial. We demanded accountability. Today, a jury delivered accountability and Chauvin will face consequences for his actions.

"To be clear, the legal system in America remains deeply unjust. No one should die the way George Floyd did. A person's murder should not have to garner global attention to result in accountability.

"We can't bring George Floyd back, but we can, and we must, legislate to deliver the critical resources our communities need to be freed from the endless loop of trauma we are experiencing daily.

"Our communities have been profiled. We have been surveilled. We have been brutalized. We have been murdered. And now we need precise, intentional policies to stop the cycle of trauma and death.

"I will continue my work to end qualified immunity, the fundamentally unjust legal doctrine that has allowed so many who commit egregious acts of state-sanctioned violence to evade accountability. I will also continue legislating to dismantle the systems that create the conditions for police brutality and, instead, secure resources for the trauma-informed, community-based solutions our people demand, deserve and require.

"Centuries of institutionalized oppression will not be undone without sustained action, and I remain undeterred. I am holding the Floyd family and city of Minneapolis close tonight."

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