Murder of George Floyd in the United States: policeman Derek Chauvin found guilty<

At the end of three weeks of trial, viewing of videos and depositions of 45 witnesses, the 12 jurors judged Derek Chauvin guilty of homicide and murder in the second and third degrees.

Guilty of homicide and murder in the second and third degrees

Their deliberations, started on Monday at the end of the final pleadings, lasted just over ten hours.George Floyd died on May 25, 2020 after being held on the ground for more than nine minutes by Derek Chauvin, hands handcuffed in the back and a knee of the policeman pressed on his neck when he said he could no longer breathe.

Floyd had remained kept on the floor for more than 9 minutes

The scene had been filmed by passers -by and massively shared on social networks.Three police officers who accompanied Derek Chauvin during the arrest of George Floyd, suspected of having used a false 20 dollars tickets to buy cigarettes, will appear on trial in the course of the year for complicity.They were also dismissed from the police.President Joe Biden said that the verdict was a "giant not forward for justice in America".

Biden: "A giant not forward for justice in America"

Speaking during a speech from the White House, he added, however, that such a verdict was far too rare in a country undermined by systemic racism.The trial jurors remained impassive and calm when reading the verdict.

Joy at the statement of the verdict

Dressed in a gray costume, a white shirt and a blue tie, as well as a health protection mask, Derek Chauvin agreed and briefly stood up when the judge announced that his freedom under bail wasrevoked.He was escorted outside the court, handcuffs with wrists, to be placed in detention.

In front of the building where the hearing was held, several hundred people let their joy burst after the verdict statement, while reinforced security devices had been put in place in Minneapolis and in several large American cities for fear of trouble."Justice for black America is justice for all of America," said George Floyd's family in a statement in a statement from the law.

"This case is a turn in the history of America for the responsibility of the police and sends a clear message which will be, we hope, heard with clarity in each city and each state," added BenjaminCrump.

Derek Chauvin had pleaded not guilty of accusations of second degree murder, "intentional bodily harm" and "an eminently dangerous act for others", and manslaughter by "guilty negligence".

Chauvin had pleaded not guilty

The Minnesota judicial system provides for a 12 and a half year old prison sentence in the event of a first conviction, which is the case of Derek Chauvin, but the prosecutors could request a sentence of up to 40 years in prison if "aggravating circumstances "are retained by the judge.

While the penal system and the juries in the United States traditionally grant latitude and a certain legal protection to the police using force to submit civilians, the jurors of the Derek Chauvin trial estimated that he had crossed the linered and uses excessive force.

Joe Biden called George Floyd's family

Speaking before the press, the Attorney General of Minnesota said that the verdict constituted "a first step towards justice" and was to serve as a starting point for a police reform in order to avoid similar affairs."We must use this verdict as a inflection point," said Keith Ellison.

Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris attended the television retransmission of the Verdict statement from the private reception room of the White House.The American president then spoke by phone with the governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, then called the family of George Floyd with his wife Jill Biden and Kamala Harris, reported the White House.

"I feel better now," said Joe Biden to the Floyd family during the telephone interview, according to a video provided to the CNN channel by Benjamin Crump.

"Nothing will make things completely better, but at least (...) there is now a certain justice, "he added.The death of George Floyd had caused vast demonstrations in the United States and around the world to denounce racial discrimination and police violence, even though the coronavirus health crisis was raging.

Demonstrations worldwide

New demonstrations broke out last week near Minneapolis after a policewoman deadly touched a young black man after a road check.Kim Potter, who has since resigned, has been charged with manslaughter.

Among the witnesses to the Derek Chauvin trial was the chief of the Minneapolis police, Media Arradondo, who declared that Chauvin's gestures during the arrest of George Floyd were going against his training.The jury was made up of four white women, two white men, three black men, a black woman and two multiracial women.