The Capital Pride Alliance is relieved that the American justice system worked today.

The Capital Pride Alliance is relieved that the American justice system worked today when the jurors in the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis found him guilty on all counts. The jury clearly saw what the rest of the world witnessed: that the defendant, under the guise of police authority, knelt on George Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds without justification and killed him. The defendant’s attempts to excuse his heinous and inhumane actions and evade responsibility were plainly unavailing and justice has been served.

The conviction, while the right result, will not bring back George Floyd, and does not wipe away the stain of many previous instances where the system failed to provide justice and equity. This event should be seen in its proper context — as a point along the way in our long national journey toward a more perfect union, and not as some indication that we have already arrived there. We urge everyone to continue doing the necessary work to understand their part in perpetuating institutional racism and overcome this failing.