On April 20th, 2021, Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all the counts he faced for the murder of George Floyd. “This is a day of celebration,” George Floyd’s brother said to CNN.
As people across the United States rejoice over this sliver of justice, many are still concerned about the way policing is done and hope for future changes. Although this trial has sparked activism and hope, it is just the beginning.
“We’re going to bury Daunte on Thursday, the killing continues,” said Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson. Daunte Wright, 20, was fatally shot by Brooklyn Center officer Kim Potter during a traffic stop. “Potter, who says she mistakenly fired her gun instead of a Taser, resigned from the force and has been charged with second-degree manslaughter,” said NPR. Wright was killed by police about 10 miles away from where Floyd died. Additionally, Floyd’s girlfriend Courteney Ross was Wright’s former teacher. The two men had never met, but have a tragic connection that highlights the rampant racism in America.
According to CNN, Benjamin Crump, the Floyd family attorney, said he hopes the decision against Chauvin will set a precedent going forward, especially in the case of Daunte Wright.
The trial of Derek Chauvin has been closely watched by many, and the death of George Floyd has sparked a national reckoning on police violence and systematic racism. His conviction is an important moment in history that deserves attention and should give people a bit of relief. That being said, justice like this in America for a Black male is rarely given. This victory is a reminder of the hundreds of other cases of police brutality where police haven’t been held accountable. And, that is an issue that is still inherent in the American justice system. Without serious reform, this case is unlikely to change the way that policing is done in America.
But, it can still provide us with some hope for future changes. The U.S. Justice Department announced Wednesday that it will investigate possible patterns of discrimination and excessive force among the Minneapolis Police Department. A police reform bill, named after George Floyd, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives last month. The bill would ban chokeholds, no-knock warrants, and racial and religious profiling. The bill would also encourage individual states to follow suit by making those bans a condition of federal aid, said NPR.
After the video of Floyd’s death went viral last May, many police officers sought to distance themselves from Chauvin, characterizing him as one of the so-called “bad apples” that spoil the reputation of officers who try to do things the right way, said NPR. But, if this is the case, then our justice system is riddled with “bad apples”. There is no escaping police brutality and racism in America, it affects every city, town, and community. If our system is so filled with “bad apples”, doesn’t that say something about our justice system? How can so many “bad apples” become responsible for the safety of citizens?
It’s hard to not think about Andy Lopez after all of this. Lopez, 13, was walking through an empty lot in Santa Rosa, carrying an airsoft gun that was designed to resemble an AK-47 assault rifle. Sonoma County sheriff’s deputy Erick Gelhaus opened fire on Lopez, presumably mistaking the airsoft gun for a real firearm. The shooting prompted many protests in Santa Rosa, and throughout California.
On November 4, 2013, the Lopez family filed a federal civil rights lawsuit at the U.S. District Court. But, in July of 2014, District Attorney Jill Ravitch announced no charges would be filed against Gelhaus. A year later, the FBI announced no criminal charges would be filed against Gelhaus, due to lack of evidence to prove that he violated Lopez’s civil rights.
Justice was never served for one of our own, a young local who was shot at 8 times by a police officer. To this day, there are still people petitioning in the streets for Lopez, seeking justice that couldn’t be accomplished by our own systems and institutions.
Police brutality and systematic racism are rampant in the U.S., and while the conviction of Chauvin is something to be celebrated, we have much work left to do. Locally, we need to hold Sonoma County’s officers accountable for their actions. Lopez deserves justice, as well as the many other people in our community that have been racially profiled and harassed by our local law enforcement.
Additionally, one of our own SSU students, Izaac Limón, recently claims to have been harassed by Sonoma County police. Limón said that the police only changed their demeanor once realizing he was an SSU student, “because they are taught that young males who are POC [people of color] are criminals. There’s an issue of white supremacy and racism here in Sonoma county and until it is addressed, we will have more of these incidents of harassment.”
Law enforcement agencies are too often left unaccountable for human rights atrocities. They breed fear within our communities, taint our justice system with hate and racism, and destroy our ideals of justice. It needs to end.
As Civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson said after the Chauvin verdict, “We still have a lot of work to do. This is a first down, not a touchdown.”
