MINNEAPOLIS – When Susan Scalf and Amy Powers arrived outside the Hennepin County Government Center on Tuesday to hear the verdicts in Derek Chauvin’s murder case, their stomachs were in knots.
Scalf, who wore a black mask with the words “ Black Lives Matter ” written in white, said she was concerned but also optimistic that Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for 9½ minutes, would be found guilty. to murder and manslaughter.
“That’s what we want,” said Scalf, 51. “Nothing less.”
Both women said they followed the trial closely and believed that Chauvin would be found guilty because the jury deliberated for about ten hours over two days.
“We hope things can change,” said Powers, 55, a retired Minneapolis firefighter.
Less than an hour later, they learned along with the rest of the world that Chauvin had indeed been found guilty of all three charges he faced: second and third degree murder and second degree manslaughter. The verdict was a rare rebuke of police misconduct.
Hundreds of people had gathered in downtown Minneapolis awaiting the verdict. After it was announced, audiences poured into the streets, with many people chanting alternately ‘George Floyd, say his name’, ‘Black lives matter’ and ‘All three’. Some burst into tears.
Drivers rang their horns during the party. Black Lives Matter flags flew from car windows. People of different races raised their fists in the Black Power salute.
One of Floyd’s most famous photos was widely displayed. The image, which his girlfriend, Courteney Ross, has dubbed ‘a daddy selfie’ because of the low angle from which he took it, featured prominently in the crowd. The photo was one of the photos often shared after his death. As she testified, Ross laughed and cried as she described the photo.
People also called out the name of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old black man who was murdered by police on April 11 in Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn, and carried posters with his name and image.
Scalf and Powers, who are both white and live in south Minneapolis, welcomed the verdict, but like many others, they said this was just the beginning of what they hope will lead to large-scale police reforms and fewer deaths at the hands of the Police.
“It doesn’t make up for all the lives lost to police brutality,” Powers said. “But it is a start.”
Kiara Burham, 20, who lives in downtown Minneapolis, said Floyd’s death motivated her to become involved with Restoration Incorporated, a faith-based human services organization founded outside the center of government on Tuesday.
“At first I felt like it was beyond me, but now that I’m out of here it feels so nice to be a part of something so great,” said Burham, who is Black. “We are here to provide everything we can for the community and all the moral support to keep everyone safe.”
She said she felt a surge of emotions about the verdict – excitement, surprise, and glee.
“This is the beginning of a new story,” she said. “We just opened a book for a brand new story, and the world has no idea.”
Jordan Draughn, 20, from St. Paul, said he was relieved that Chauvin had been convicted.
“Some people thought it might not go our way,” he said. “It’s just breathtaking.”
He said he now has confidence in the justice system. “It gave me confidence to be myself,” said Draughn. “It’s hard to be a black man in this world sometimes because everyone looks down on you, but in this case it shows a real difference.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, who testified against Chauvin and fired him and the three other officers involved in Floyd’s arrest in May, thanked the jurors “for their immense responsibility and honorable civic duty.”
“The verdict has been read and I respect the trial and the decision,” said Arradondo.
He said the Minneapolis police would strive every day and night to gain the trust of the public.
Floyd, who was black, died on May 25 after he was arrested on suspicion of passing a fake $ 20 bill to buy cigarettes at Cup Foods, a convenience store on 38th Street and Chicago Avenue. He was 46.
A 17-year-old bystander recorded his arrest on her cell phone. The video showed Chauvin, who is white, kneeling around Floyd’s neck as spectators called for him to get off Floyd.
As many as a thousand people marched through downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday evening. Some stopped at the intersection where Floyd sat on the sidewalk – now known as George Floyd Square – to pay their respects.
Tiffany Doepke, 32, from East Bloomington, said she had wanted to visit the memorial for a while, but the pandemic made it difficult to do so.
“I wanted to come and help commemorate life, and I am certainly happy with the verdict,” she said. “It’s good to see so many people here, and it’s definitely going to be emotional.”
Jennifer Alford, 46, who lives four blocks from where Floyd was murdered, said she felt compelled to come out.
“The verdict was a step in the right direction, and there is a lot more we need to do,” she said.