Paul Bass Photo
Edgewood Park mural.
Following are statements issued by local officials Tuesday after a jury found Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd.
State Treasurer Shawn Wooden: “Arc Of Justice” Bends
As the father of two Black teenage young men, I have had the difficult but necessary “talk” about what to do in the event they are stopped by a police officer. It is a dreaded ritual for Black and Brown parents, but I never expected that my son, a runner, would ask if it was safe to jog while Black.
Sadly, it took a video to emerge publicly for Georgia’s criminal justice system to respond to the Ahmaud Arbery’s murder, and in the case of George Floyd’s killing, we saw the world respond in anguish, after watching the eight minutes and 46 seconds of video footage in which Derek Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck, leading to his death. The world didn’t need to hear today’s verdict to know that what happened to George Floyd was wrong. The video was so powerful that it sparked a national racial reckoning, something I often refer to as our modern-day “Emmett Till” moment. A moment that led to half a million people in the United States peacefully protesting in nearly 550 places across our country on one given day last June.
This cannot just be a moment; it must be a movement for change. We know that change often takes time, especially change that requires the hard work of dismantling systemic bias in the criminal justice system. But, today’s verdict gives Americans a renewed sense of hope. As leaders, advocates and activists, we cannot rest until every single individual feels safe – safe while running in the case of Ahmaud Arbery, safe while driving with an air freshener in their car in the case of Dante Wright, safe while going to sleep in their own bed in the case of Breonna Taylor, safe while playing in the park in the case of Tamir Rice, safe while being pulled over for failing to signal a lane change in the case of Sandra Bland, safe while walking in their neighborhood in the case of Trayvon Martin, and safe while being detained after leaving a grocery store in the case of George Floyd. The system has to change. It has to work for everyone.
Today is a reminder of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” However, it doesn’t bend on its own. But, today, a jury of fellow Americans just bent that arc towards justice for all a little more. Today is a good day for America.”
Exploratory Mayoral Candidate Karen DuBois-Walton: “Make Real Change Now Before We Mourn Another Victim”
Hopefully this verdict brings some peace to the souls of the so many who loved and admired Mr. Floyd.
But a guilty verdict today does not bring Mr. Floyd back to us. And it doesn’t bring back Breonna Taylor, Daunte Wright, Adam Toledo, Malik Jones, or the all too many people attached to names that are known across our city and country for the police violence that ended their lives. A guilty verdict today doesn’t stop the next police killing, here or anywhere else across the country. We must commit ourselves to action, before one more person is taken from us by the police.
Our city must make the necessary investments to get at the root drivers of over policing and must invest in real, substantive police accountability. We’ve called for a $10 million investment in violence prevention, anti-poverty programs, and police accountability. And the community has already articulated the necessary solutions and has been calling for change for years, led by Senator Winfield, People Against Police Brutality, Black Lives Matter New Haven, and longtime advocates for the Civilian Review Board. Let’s make real change now, before we mourn another victim of police violence here in New Haven.”
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro: Now Pass George Floyd Act
This verdict cannot be the end of this story. Since testimony in Derek Chauvin’s trial began on March 29, an average of more than three people a day have died at the hands of law enforcement in the United States, with Black and Latino people representing more than half of them. Our nation faces systematic and structural racial inequity, and we must make change.
As a first step, the House has passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. Our communities deserve Senate action on this important accountability measure. And they deserve a continued, relentless focus on creating a society where every person – regardless of the color of their skin – is able to contribute and succeed.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal: Accountability, Not True Justice
True justice would be George Floyd alive today, but this guilty verdict provides emphatic, necessary accountability.
No verdict in a single case can eliminate racism or correct the injustice that continues to afflict our country. There is so much more work to do.
Mayor Justin Elicker: “Find Ways To Undo Racism Together”
Today’s news means that we have one slight semblance of justice within this journey for equality in America. I commend the jury for their commitment during these many days of revisiting a painful moment in recent history. We all remember where we were when George Floyd was murdered, and we all will remember when Derek Chauvin was brought to justice. Savor this moment, ready yourself, because we still must keep fighting. Still, some law enforcement members perpetrate these very violent acts against Latinx, Brown, and Black individuals. Adam Toledo, Duante Wright, Breonna Taylor… Say their names.
Though we are not perfect, the New Haven Police Department continues to improve in its work on police reform and community relations. We are working hard to ensure accountability on officers and re-envision policing through the efforts of our Police Commission which is comprised of both community representatives and experts in policing reform, by creating a Crisis Response team for incidents that would benefit from a social service response rather than a police response, and by implementing more robust de-escalation training, and recognizing that officer training does not end when you graduate the academy. Most importantly, we recognize that safety means ensuring our community has the resources to thrive. I am committed to improving what I do have authority over here in New Haven.
It is my deep hope that we can all come together to heal as a community and find ways to undo racism together. I am reminded now more than ever to keep fighting, keep calling out injustices in our community, and work together to make it happen. We will strive to set the tone for other communities struggling with racism, police brutality, and the exacerbation of the pandemic.
Anyone who believes the shooting of Adam Toledo was not justified has no business being in a position to oversee a police department.