Burlington County NAACP Head Still Nervous After Chauvin Verdict

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — Following the announcement of a verdict in the trial of Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin on Tuesday — Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd last Memorial Day — the head of the Southern Burlington County NAACP said she was happy about the verdict, but also nervous about the future.

“I am happy to see a guilty verdict for a bad cop for once, but also nervous about the precedent now set of how high the bar needs to be in order for there to be a conviction,” Southern Burlington County NAACP President Marcus Sibley said in a statement on the group’s Facebook page. “Most aren’t doing their dirt in broad daylight for all to see. So we celebrate today, but we intensify the fight tomorrow.”

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said seeing Chauvin’s knee on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes, 29 seconds, “was painful for millions of Americans who experienced, or whose families have experienced, the awful violence that accompanied the struggle for Civil Rights over the past 60 years.”

“It also was painful for all honorable law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve members of their community with respect, dignity and compassion,” Coffina said. “Today’s verdict does not ‘close the book’ on anything. Too much has happened over the past year for us now to simply try to move on as if this incident never happened. As horrendous as George Floyd’s death and the violent protests that followed were, we have much to be hopeful about.”

Coffina spoke about the solidarity between police departments and the citizens of New Jersey, which in Burlington County included a Zoom call between social justice activists and members of the county’s various police departments.

“New Jersey, which already had perhaps the most enlightened policies for law enforcement, now has updated Use-of-Force policies and other new provisions to enhance transparency and accountability for the police officers we entrust with our safety,” Coffina said. “In Burlington County, every police department now has completed implicit bias training, as we committed to do last summer. We have had civil, candid discussions with community leaders and other residents about past injustices, where we stand today, and where we need to go tomorrow to ensure equal justice for all. These conversations and other positive interactions must continue until we reach a place where no one is fearful about what will happen to a loved one if they have an encounter with the police. The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and all of our local police departments remain committed to continuing this ongoing process of engagement with the people we serve and to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism for our law enforcement officers.”

Chauvin, 45, was convicted of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. Read more here: Jury Finds Derek Chauvin Guilty On All Counts In Death Of Floyd

William Bornhoft contributed to this report.