Philadelphia, PA – City Council President Darrell L. Clarke (5th District) today issued the following statement in reaction to the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial:
“The jury has spoken, and this time our system of justice has prevailed in the trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd on a Minneapolis street. No one who watched that video could reasonably conclude anything other than that Mr. Floyd was murdered by Chauvin. This verdict follows so many other cases that produced disappointing verdicts, where the guilt of police perpetrators against civilians was obvious to so many.
It is gratifying to see that justice prevailed in this case. However, the jury’s verdict does not end the discussion about policing, and the need for real reform in how police officers treat suspects in their custody or control, particularly persons of color. There is no time to waste. Let George Floyd’s murder be a catalyst for reforms in policing in our country.
This case should be a spark for other changes as well, as we confront the multiple inequities we have endured for far too long in our society, from housing to employment to education and other issues. We need a more equitable society, free of systemic racism. Let us recommit ourselves to those goals as a city and as a country.”
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