DCCC Chairman Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney released the following statement regarding the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin:
George Floyd should be alive. No jury’s decision will ever return him to his family. No verdict will return the father, brother, son, or friend that he was to so many. While accountability is necessary, we must recognize that this one decision does not end the systemic racism that exists within our institutions. Last summer, millions of people across the globe were inspired to call for change following Mr. Floyd’s death, and the recent killing of Daunte Wright just miles away from Minneapolis in Brooklyn Center is yet another reminder that our call to create a more just nation must go beyond accountability in any specific trial.
In America, Black families shouldn’t have to worry that their friends and loved ones will be profiled, mistreated, hurt or killed by law enforcement because of the color of their skin. America can move toward its promise of justice for all by passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (JIPA), crafted by the Congressional Black Caucus, to end the use of force that killed George Floyd by banning chokeholds and carotid holds, adjusting use of force standards, increasing the use of body cameras, developing accountability mechanisms that make it easier for officers to report misconduct and engaging communities in public safety standards at the local level. JIPA is just one step in the right direction – action must be taken at the state and local level – and it is past time to act.
Our prayers for families impacted by police violence against Black Americans are not enough, and our frustration isn’t either. We must act now to live up to America’s promise and achieve true justice.
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