George Floyd Gets Some Measure of Justice - For Now

I was at work when I learned that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin had been convicted on all three counts (second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter) in the death of George Floyd.

This was the only verdict the jury could have rendered. To have render any other verdict would have been an injustice, sparked unfathomable anger and violence and perhaps would have caused irreparable damage to the U.S. justice system.

However, in light of the guilty verdict, George Floyd gets some measure of justice - for now.

I say for now because in eight weeks time (the week of June 15th) Chauvin will be sentenced. If Chauvin is given a light sentence this too will cause great anger and outrage. A sentence of less than 10 years would be a slap in the face. Chauvin faces a maximum of 75 years in prison - effectively a life sentence.

Let us suppose that Chauvin receives the maximum sentence or something very close to it. Will he be eligible for parole? If he is that will certainly cause some consternation. If not there is no doubt Chauvin will appeal both his sentence and his verdict for many years to come. 

Indeed, just yesterday, Judge Peter Cahill told Chauvin's defense attorney Erik Nelson that he had grounds for appeal with respect to comments made by Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Waters at a protest in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota over the weekend which some interpreted as advocating violence if a guilty verdict was not reached. However, there is no evidence to suggest that any of the jurors actually heard Waters' comments. 

Naturally there will be appeals. But for the moment George Floyd can rest peacefully while his family can better ease their pain. 

Of course, this verdict might very well prove to be the exception to the rule. More often than not most police officers who kill while on duty will not be charged much less brought to trial by virtue of qualified immunity. And if they are charged they are likely to be acquitted. 

What separates Chauvin's depravity from that of other police officers is that he didn't shoot George Floyd. The manner in which Chauvin caused Floyd's death was slow and agonizing. He could have listened to the crowd which had watched in horror and stopped what he was doing. But instead he dug in his knee a little deeper. This no doubt played a role in the upper echelons of the Minneapolis Police Department testifying against Chauvin.

It is obvious that policing in the United States has to change. If a significant segment of the African-American as well as the Hispanic and Native American communities cannot trust the police then law enforcement will be ineffective and inequitable. Interactions with the police on misdemeanor offenses should not result in death or in grave bodily injury.

However, defunding and abolishing the police will not solve the problem. There will always be a societal need for police and penitentiaries. If this is not done at the governmental level it will be done at the private level for profit or through street justice. I don't see how those scenarios will make things better for African-Americans and other minority communities in this country much less the general population.

Yet perhaps Gianna Floyd is right. Her Daddy may changed the world or at the very least changed America. The change might not be realized for some time to come. But there is always the possibility that in 25 years from now that policing in this country could be carried out in a more humane manner than it is now. If this does come to pass we can trace the first step to today's verdict.