Chauvin Guilty Verdict: Pittsburgh's Reaction

PITTSBURGH, PA -- Southwestern Pennsylvania officials applauded Tuesday's conviction of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin in connection with the death of George Floyd.

Chauvin, who kneeled on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes last year in an incident that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement, was found guilty of all three charges against him: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The jury deliberated for more than 10 hours before delivering the verdict.

“I was relieved to see that justice was served in the jury’s decision finding Derek Chauvin guilty in the horrific murder last year of George Floyd," Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto said.

"But I also realize that no verdict can bring back a life or eliminate the pain the Floyd family and so many Americans — especially in our Black community — continue to feel. We cannot erase centuries of systemic racism, and our efforts to uplift and support our minority neighbors must continue today and for years to come.”

State Rep. Ed Gainey, who is challenging Peduto for the Democratic mayoral nomination, said "This historic decision is a measure of justice for the Floyd family, the black community, and our whole country, that is long overdue. But there are still too many deadly incidents involving police,
and still much work to do."

Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald also weighed in, saying, “I am hopeful that today’s verdict will spur conversations about what can and should be done in the way of reforms at a state and federal level, and that we see legislation that can be impactful and move us towards a time when incidents such as this one do not occur again.”

Pittsburgh Police Chief Scott Schubert said of the verdict, "As police officers, we have a fundamental duty to care for and safeguard everyone and anyone in our custody. That did not occur. A man was deprived of his life, a family was deprived of their loved one, a
community was deprived of their faith in the people who are entrusted to
keep them safe.

"The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police recognizes that our legitimacy is highly dependent on the mutual trust and respect we have with the communities we serve. Law enforcement is always evolving and the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police remains steadfast in its commitment to
working hand in hand with the public to implement professional law enforcement services that are fair, equitable, transparent and procedurally just to all members of the community."