Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty in the murder of George Floyd on Tuesday. Chauvin was found guilty on all three charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The jury reached its verdict after approximately 10 hours of deliberation.
On May 25, 2020, Floyd, a 46-year-old unarmed Black man, was stopped by Minneapolis police outside of a local grocery store and pinned to the ground. Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd’s neck while restraining him for more than nine minutes, ultimately killing Floyd. The medical examiner ruled Floyd’s death a homicide.
Floyd’s death sparked a national movement calling for accountability when it came to the killing of unarmed Black men and women in police custody. Citizens, including professional athletes, demonstrated and called for change after Floyd’s death.
When sports returned last summer following a delay due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, athletes kneeled during the anthem as former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick did, to protest police brutality. NBA and WNBA players led the charge in speaking on social justice in the wake of Floyd’s murder as well as the murder of Breonna Taylor, and many more lost to police brutality and violence.
After the highly anticipated verdict was announced, the world breathed a sigh of relief—including some of the most famous athletes and well-known franchises in the country.
The sports world reacts to the three guilty verdicts:
