City of Racine – The following is a statement from Racine Common Council President John Tate II on the verdict in the Derek Chauvin case for the murder of George Floyd:
“Moments ago, former police officer Derrick Chauvin was held accountable for the murder of George Floyd and found guilty on all three counts by a jury of his peers. This is a rare moment in the American justice system and fulfills the demand for accountability, but this is not justice. Justice is neither vengeance nor simple accountability. True justice is change — transformation in such a way that the potential to commit harm is removed.
What happened to George Floyd has happened to many others. Without fundamental, structural, and cultural changes in policing and our society that ensure that no officer’s abuse of power is defended or goes unpunished, abuses will continue. Derrick Chauvin is not an aberration. There are officers like him in departments across this country; and like the officers who testified against him, it is incumbent on the honorable officers to root out bad actors.
It is my sincere desire that today’s verdict provides closure and solace for the Floyd family, and provides hope to the community to continue transforming our justice system and society so that we no longer need to remind others that Black Lives Matter.”
