Derek Chauvin guilty in death of George Floyd

By Mike Hayes, Melissa Macaya, Melissa Mahtani, Meg Wagner, Veronica Rocha and Joshua Berlinger, CNN

Updated 12:06 AM ET, Wed April 21, 2021
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6:31 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

Al Sharpton leads prayer following verdict: "Bless the jury that listened to the evidence"

From CNN's Josiah Ryan

CNN
CNN

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton lead a prayer today alongside George Floyd's family and their attorneys, thanking God as well as prosecutors and the jury for delivering justice "in the midnight hours."

Before offering the prayer of gratitude, Sharpton lead those present at the news conference in an answer and repeat call which has been common at Black Lives Matter protests across the nation, chanting, "say his name, George Floyd."

"Dear God, we thank you for giving us the strength to stand together," prayed Sharpton. "...Somehow you touch us in the midnight hours and teach us to hold on, and that if we would be faithful over a few things, you'd give us the victory over many."

"We thank you because we know it was not any doing of ours, but your loving kindness and your tender mercy that made tonight possible," he prayed. 

Sharpton went to also thank all those who fought tirelessly to bring about the guilty verdict. 

"Bless those that worked, that made this prosecution something they couldn't deny," he said. "Bless those policemen that got on the stand and testified against another policeman."

"Bless the jury that listened to the evidence and didn't listen to those that may criticize them for doing this," he said. "Bless the prosecutor, Keith Ellison, and his staff that did their job, even though they didn't know what the outcome would be."

Watch the moment:

6:19 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

"A collective exhale" inside the White House after verdict read, administration official says

From CNN's Phil Mattingly 

A senior administration official described the reaction inside the private dining room where President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and senior staff were watching the verdict read live: “A collective exhale. From everyone."

"Then the collective recognition that so much more work needs to be done. But overall just a sweeping sense of relief," the official added.

6:11 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

Mother of Philando Castile says there was no doubt in her mind Chauvin would be convicted

From CNN's Nicquel Terry Ellis 

Valerie Castile, the mother of Philando Castile who was killed by a Minnesota police officer nearly five years ago, said there was no doubt in her mind that Derek Chauvin would be convicted in George Floyd’s death on Tuesday.

Castile told CNN that the prosecution had presented enough evidence to secure a guilty verdict. She had also been praying for weeks.

“There was nothing indisputable from the beginning,” Castile said.

Castile said earlier this month that she had little faith in the criminal justice system and that watching the Chauvin trial was "re-traumatizing."

She said defense attorneys had attempted to incriminate her son saying he had marijuana in his system the same way attorneys said Floyd died of a drug overdose. The police officer charged in Philando Castile’s death was ultimately acquitted in 2017.

Castile said the Chauvin conviction now gives the Twin Cities community a “glimmer of hope” when it comes to police brutality against Black people.

“If a person is found guilty then that would give the next person pause to be so aggressive in a manner that it causes great bodily harm or death,” Castile said. “It would give them pause to proceed so aggressively.”
6:09 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

Obama: "The jury did the right thing"

From CNN's Maureen Chowdhury

Former President Barack Obama reacted to the guilty verdict in the Derek Chauvin case.

"Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more," Obama tweeted.

In a statement, Obama also noted:

"True justice requires that we come to terms with the fact that Black Americans are treated differently, every day. It requires us to recognize that millions of our friends, family and fellow citizens live in fear that their next encounter with law enforcement could be their last. And it requires us to do the sometimes thankless, often difficult, but always necessary work fo making the America we know more like the America we believe in.

"While today's verdict may have been a necessary step on the road to progress, it was far from sufficient one. We cannot rest."

6:11 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

What it was like in the courtroom when the verdict was read

From CNN’s Aaron Cooper and Josh Campbell in Minneapolis

Pool
Pool

The courtroom was silent as the verdict was read, pool reporters inside, including CNN’s Josh Campbell, noted. 

Derek Chauvin appeared to be in a daze while waiting for the jury to arrive and was staring at the empty jury seating area, Campbell reported. He snapped out of it after a few seconds when his attorney, Eric Nelson, spoke with him.

At one point, Chauvin turned to look at Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother, who was praying, the pool reporters noted.   

Philonise Floyd waited for the verdict in the courtroom with his head bowed and hands clasped. He appeared to alternate between praying, looking up towards Chauvin, and looking down praying again.

As the first guilty verdict was read, his hands began shaking while clasped. They became shakier during the second verdict and during the third, his hands were shaking back and forth with his eyes closed as his head nodded up and down.

After the court concluded, Philonise was seen crying as he hugged all four prosecutors, Campbell observed. Prosecutor Steve Schleicher’s eyes were also red as he wiped away tears.  

"I was just praying they would find him guilty. As an African American, we usually never get justice,” Philonise told Campbell after the verdict. 

In court, the seat reserved for Chauvin’s family was occupied by a middle-aged white woman with long brown hair and glasses who declined to give her name to reporters.

When Chauvin was remanded into custody, the bailiff told him “Mr. Chauvin, please place your hands behind your back.”

He handcuffed the former Minneapolis police officer’s left hand, then his right, the pool reporters observed. The handcuffs were not double locked in the courtroom. 

After reading the verdicts, Judge Peter Cahill confirmed with each of the jurors that the three guilty convictions were correct. 

The foreperson, juror 19, signed each of the verdict slips. He is a white male in his 30s who works as an auditor, according to information shared during jury selection. 

As the verdict was read, there was no noticeable emotional reaction from the jury, Campbell noted. Whereas during trial, they each had their own idiosyncrasies, they remained still and quiet staring at the judge until they were called upon by the judge.

“I have to thank you on behalf of the people of the state of Minnesota for not just jury service but heavy-duty jury service,” Cahill told the 12 jurors. 

6:12 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

Prosecutor says verdict sends a message that George Floyd's "life mattered, that all our lives matter"

Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell thanked his team of "selfless servants" that worked on the case. "They stepped into the light and they shined," he said.

Blackwell said the verdict shows that George Floyd "was somebody, that his life mattered, that all of our lives matter."

"Now, no verdict can bring George Perry Floyd back to us, but this verdict does give a message to his family that he was somebody, that his life mattered, that all of our lives matter. And that's important," he said.

He added, "I also hope that this verdict, for all of the rest of collective, all of us, will help us further along the road toward a better humanity."

6:05 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

Largest police union in the country says "justice has worked as it should"

From CNN’s Peter Nickeas

The nation’s largest police union said moments after Derek Chauvin’s verdict that “justice has worked as it should.” 

The National Fraternal Order of Police, which represents the nation’s more than 350,000 police officers, called the trial “fair” and said “due process was served,” according to a statement released by the organization on Twitter. 

“Our system of justice has worked as it should, with the prosecutors and defense presenting their evidence to the jury, which then deliberated and delivered a verdict,” the statement read. “The trial was fair and due process was served. We hope and expect that all of our fellow citizens will respect the rule of law and remain peaceful tonight and in the days to come.”

6:03 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

Biden, Harris and first lady speak with Philonise Floyd after the verdict

From CNN's Jason Hoffman

The President and vice president watched the Derek Chauvin verdict with staff in the private dining room.

Following the guilty verdict, President Biden spoke with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The President, Vice President Kamala Harris, and first lady Jill Biden also spoke with Philonise Floyd from the Oval Office.

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump confirmed the news and thanked them for their support.

Watch for more:

From Jason Hoffman

5:59 p.m. ET, April 20, 2021

Minneapolis mayor: The jury "refused to look away" and affirmed that Floyd "should still be here today"

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey commended the jury following the conviction of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin.

Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges in the murder of George Floyd.

“George Floyd came to Minneapolis to better his life. But ultimately his life will have bettered our city,” Frey tweeted. “The jury joined in a shared conviction that has animated Minneapolis for the last 11 months. They refused to look away and affirmed he should still be here today.”

 Read the mayor's tweet: