JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Shortly after the jury rendered its verdict and found Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts against him, Benjamin Crump, the civil rights attorney representing George Floyd’s family, reacted on Twitter.
Crump’s message: It was painfully earned justice.
GUILTY! Painfully earned justice has finally arrived for George Floyd’s family. This verdict is a turning point in history and sends a clear message on the need for accountability of law enforcement. Justice for Black America is justice for all of America!
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) April 20, 2021
In an interview Wednesday on The Morning Show, Crump said he sees this verdict setting a new precedent for policing and hopes it will be an important moment for social justice.
“That African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans all of us can feel that we are a part of this idea of equal justice under the law,” Crump said. “It was painfully earned, Bruce, because, unfortunately, George Floyd was tortured to death to get us this historic moment where you will see police held accountable for unjustly killing a Black person who was face down, handcuffed and unarmed.”
For George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, the verdict brought some relief. Afterward, he said he can breathe again.
He said he and his family aren’t just fighting for George anymore but that the fight has broadened.
“It’s amazing because this world was filled with darkness and the only way to take away darkness is to have light shed and that’s what this case did because the only way to take hatred out of people is to show them love. Doctor King always spoke of that,” Philonise Floyd said on The Morning Show. “The fraternity that we’re in, we didn’t ask to be in this.”
Floyd pointed out that Daunte Wright was killed by police officers just 10 miles from the courtroom where he’s been trying to get accountability for his brother’s death at the hands of police.
President Joe Biden addressed the nation after watching the courtroom proceedings, saying that the verdict could be a step forward for the nation in the fight against racism but also saying it’s not enough and that more needs to be done.
Both Crump and Floyd said they thought his message was the right one at the right time and they hope it resonates with America and that this nation lives up to its motto of Liberty and Justice for All.
For more from Crump and Floyd’s interview on The Morning Show, watch the full video above.