A Fitting Verdict in the Trial of George Floyd's Murderer

“George Floyd’s name has been chanted by people around the world and will never be forgotten. It is fitting that with today’s verdict, the jury has held his murderer, Derek Chauvin, fully accountable for the crime. Our thoughts are with the Floyd family and all of those affected by this murder.

“The jury’s decision does not release us from the need to work for change. Even as the trial was in progress, we saw the police killing of Daunte Wright, an innocent Black man, and so many others. As The New York Times reports, ‘since testimony began on March 29, at least 64 people have died at the hands of law enforcement nationwide, with Black and Latino people representing more than half of the dead. As of Saturday, the average was more than three killings a day.’ It is the responsibility of all Americans to do all we can to fundamentally change the status quo. The racism that remains in our legal system must be rooted out.

“EDF will continue to speak out on these issues, and we will continue to deepen our work to promote equity – both within EDF and in the ways that environmental benefits and harms are experienced in our communities. This cannot be a moment for America to drift back into complacency. We must – and at EDF, we will – continue our work toward being a better organization, a better ally, and a force for good.”

- Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund