Sen. Agard Statement on Derek Chauvin Case Verdict

MADISON– Today, Sen. Melissa Agard (D-Madison) shared the following statement regarding the jury’s guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin who was charged with murder in George Floyd’s death:

“Last year, the world witnessed the terrible murder of George Floyd. George Floyd’s murder was a senseless, brutal act of police violence against a Black man, the jury made the right decision in convicting Derek Chauvin with this murder. Regardless of the decision by the jury, George Floyd should be alive today– no decision will provide true justice for Mr. Floyd.

“The overwhelming evidence was clear: George Floyd died due to Chauvin’s despicable actions. This was not a case of over policing, but blatant murder of a Black man in Minneapolis. Today, I am thinking of George Floyd’s family and friends and the greater Minneapolis area as we join them in continuing to heal from this reprehensible act of grave injustice.

“The murder of George Floyd is a symptom of a larger problem in America: Racism and discrimination continues to permeate every aspect of our society, and this epidemic is far, far from over. I am glad that the jury made the right decision today, and I hope that we continue to make steps towards justice and equity for our Black and Brown communities. We must continue to be determined in our efforts to dismantle racist systems and work towards national reforms and broad structural changes. This cannot be a talking point, we must do the hard and sometimes uncomfortable work to dismantle systemic racism in our country. We have a long road of real work ahead of us to ensure that no other families continue to endure this violence.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.