SAINT PAUL, Minn. – The members of the United Black Legislative Caucus in the Minnesota Legislature issued the following statement:
“Derek Chauvin betrayed the trust of the community he had the duty to protect and serve. On Memorial Day of 2020, he acted with an incredible disregard for George Floyd’s life, for his family, and for his community. While we’re pleased he will be held accountable for his heartless actions over the murder of George Floyd, nothing can bring George Floyd back and we will all continue to live with the trauma of what occurred 13 months ago and will continue to hold a distrust for the institution of policing.
“As we know all too well, a conviction and prison sentence isn’t the usual outcome after a police officer murders a Black man nor is a conviction justice. All Minnesotans deserve to live with dignity and respect in their communities, and to have their human rights recognized by law enforcement. To that end, in the final days of the special session, we have the opportunity for true reform, and lawmakers must deliver meaningful changes to ensure whenever a peace officer recklessly betrays the public’s trust like former officer Chauvin did by taking a human life, they are held accountable and our community can experience a sense of justice.”
The United Black Legislative Caucus includes Representatives Esther Agbaje (59B), Cedrick Frazier (45A), Hodan Hassan (62A), Athena Hollins (66B), Rena Moran (65A), Mohamud Noor (60B), Ruth Richardson (52B), John Thompson (67A), and Senators Bobby Joe Champion (59) and Omar Fateh (62).