Statement from City Attorney Dennis Herrera on conviction in trial of Derek Chauvin

“All of us must look into our hearts and do what is right to keep our country moving forward on the path of racial justice. Never be afraid to do the right thing.”

SAN FRANCISCO (April 20, 2021) — City Attorney Dennis Herrera issued the following statement today following the guilty verdicts in the trial of Derek Chauvin. Chauvin was convicted of two counts of murder and one count of manslaughter for the killing of George Floyd on May 25, 2020:

City Attorney Dennis Herrera

“George Floyd’s killing was a horrific injustice. Today is a day for healing to start. Our justice system worked. No one is above the law, particularly those sworn to uphold it. This conviction reaffirms that. An impartial jury looked at all of the evidence and rendered their verdict.

As we all know, this verdict won’t end racism in our country, but it is another step forward. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.’

Today we reached one more mile marker on that journey, a journey where peaceful struggle can take many forms. Dr. King noted that, ‘If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.’ All of us must look into our hearts and do what is right to keep our country moving forward on the path of racial justice. Never be afraid to do the right thing.”

Additional information is available on the City Attorney’s website at: www.sfcityattorney.org.

# # #