• Celebration and tears in George Floyd Square in Minneapolis for Chauvin's conviction.

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  • Murder Floyd, Derek Chauvin three times guilty on the Minnesota jury

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April 21, 2021 - The US Department of Justice is preparing to announce an investigation into police practices in Minneapolis. This was reported by the Associated Press, in the aftermath of the conviction of former agent Derek Chauvin, held responsible for the death of African American George Floyd, who became a symbol of the vast Black Lives Matter protest movement which also fights against police abuses on minorities . The Minister of Justice, Merrick Garland, should make the announcement of the investigation.





4 weeks for the sentence, agent risks up to 75 years

It will take another eight weeks to establish the conviction of former agent Derek Chauvin, after a jury in Minneapolis yesterday found him responsible for all three counts of George Floyd's murder. This was reported by Judge Peter Cahill who will also have to evaluate any aggravating circumstances, such as the fact that the African American's suffocation took place in front of the eyes of a child. Overall, the former cop faces up to 75 years for the three offenses, although Minnesota guidelines recommend 12.5 years for second- and third-degree murder and 4 for negligent homicide. The prosecution, however, asked for a harsher sentence than that suggested by those guidelines. 



3 other agents involved accused of aiding and abetting

The other three former police officers involved with Derek Chauvin in George Floyd's death will face the crime of aiding and abetting, now compounded by the fact that Chauvin has been found guilty of murder. They face up to 40 years in prison.   



Tou Thao, Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, who intervened with Chauvin on the scene, did nothing to stop their colleague. They were already fired the day after Floyd's death on May 25, 2020. Their trial will start on August 23. The three are on the loose after a $ 750,000 bail has been paid. 



Biden, today a step forward against systemic racism

"Today we have taken a step forward against the systemic racism that is a stain on the soul of our country". Joe Biden said this, speaking to the American nation on live TV and commenting on the verdict of the Floyd trial. "Today a giant step has been taken in the march towards justice in America," added Biden, who described George Floyd's death as "a murder in the light of day." For the American president, however, much more needs to be done, even if today's decision may represent "a significant change," said the president. "This must be a time of real change. George Floyd begged 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe'. We can't let these words die with him," Biden said. "To George's children we have to say, 'Dad changed the world'. " 



Bachelet (UN), a fundamental verdict

"This is a fundamental verdict. Any other outcome would have been a parody of justice", Thus the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on the guilty verdict in the George Floyd case. The High Commissioner stressed that, "as the jury acknowledged, the evidence in this case was crystal clear". However, "the battle to get cases of excessive force or police killings in court is far from over," he added, paying tribute to the courage and perseverance of George Floyd's family and many others. For High Commissioner Bachelet, "impunity for crimes and human rights violations by law enforcement must stop",with clear measures to prevent further arbitrary killings. The United States is taking important steps to this end, but such "efforts must accelerate and expand and must not be diluted as public attention shifts elsewhere," Bachelet cautioned in a statement released in Geneva. For the verdict of George Floyd's case to be a true "turning point" - he insisted - "the ingrained legacy of discriminatory policies and systems, including the legacies of slavery and transatlantic trade and the impact of colonialism, must be eradicated in a decisive way in order to achieve justice and racial equality ".efforts must accelerate and expand and must not be diluted when public attention shifts elsewhere, "Bachelet warned, in a statement released in Geneva. For the verdict of the George Floyd case to be a true" turning point "- he insisted - "the ingrained legacy of discriminatory policies and systems, including the legacies of slavery and transatlantic trade and the impact of colonialism, must be decisively eradicated in order to achieve justice and racial equality".efforts must accelerate and expand and must not be diluted when public attention shifts elsewhere, "Bachelet warned, in a statement released in Geneva. For the verdict of the George Floyd case to be a true" turning point "- he insisted - "the ingrained legacy of discriminatory policies and systems, including the legacies of slavery and transatlantic trade and the impact of colonialism, must be decisively eradicated in order to achieve justice and racial equality".- he insisted - "the deep-rooted legacy of discriminatory policies and systems, including the legacies of slavery and transatlantic trade and the impact of colonialism, must be decisively eradicated in order to achieve justice and racial equality" .- he insisted - "the deep-rooted legacy of discriminatory policies and systems, including the legacies of slavery and transatlantic trade and the impact of colonialism, must be decisively eradicated in order to achieve justice and racial equality" .