CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Some of Illinois' highest profile political leaders are voicing their feelings about the guilty verdicts in former police officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial.
In a statement issued shortly after the three guilty verdicts, Mayor Lori Lightfoot said almost a year ago she watched the video of "George Floyd’s life being extinguished beneath Derek Chauvin’s knee" and she cried.
"I said then and I say now, being Black in America cannot be a death sentence.
"I join my fellow Chicagoans, Americans, and human beings across the world as justice is being served in Minneapolis today. A jury of his peers listened to the evidence presented by both sides and came to the only reasonable verdict based on the overwhelming evidence presented by the Prosecution.
"I want to commend the jury, the prosecution and the people of Minnesota for their invaluable work to hold Mr. Chauvin accountable for his crimes. George Floyd’s death sparked a pivotal movement for Americans fighting to end systematic racism.
"Today marks a moment where future generations can look back and see that we as a nation came together and rightfully demanded justice and accountability. And justice was served," Mayor Lightfoot's statement continued.
"Let us pray that the Lord continues to watch over George Floyd’s family and loved ones. Pray for peace as we continue on our journey towards a more just and equitable world."
Governor Pritzker’s issued a statement saying "No courtroom can ever replace a life, but it can and should deliver justice. Today, the jury in Derek Chauvin's murder trial honored that truth.
"My heart goes out to the family of George Floyd, who deserve to have him alive today. I'm also thinking of all our Black communities and other communities of color who see their children or their parents or themselves in George Floyd, and Daunte Wright, and Adam Toledo, and Breonna Taylor, and Laquan McDonald," Pritzker continued.
"This verdict marks an important milestone on the journey to justice, but the fullest measure of progress is how we deliver accountability, safety and meaningful change.
"In Illinois, we are addressing law enforcement reform, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, educational equity and health care. We can and must make progress every day until we have a state and a nation and a justice system that truly serve everyone. And as long as there's more work to be done, that's what we'll do."
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s response to the guilty verdicts for Derek Chauvin began with a direct statement.
“Today justice was served, and I hope this verdict brings some measure of peace to the family and friends of George Floyd, and allows them to begin recovering not just from Floyd’s tragic death but also from the trauma of the trial. I am also hopeful that this verdict will begin the healing our country needs," Raoul said.
Raoul said George Floyd was not the first unarmed Black man to die at the hands of police, but his death galvanized Americans in a historic way. Still, he said, this verdict must not mark an end to a struggle toward eliminating the systemic problems that have tolerated police misconduct.
"It would be a mistake to take the ‘bad-apple’ approach to evaluating the impact of this case. I, for my part, am committed to utilizing the tools and resources of my office toward confronting the systemic problems that have tolerated unconstitutional policing in departments throughout the country. I will also continue to partner with community leaders, advocates and law enforcement agencies to enact policies that facilitate preventing future tragedies," Raoul said.
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle extended her condolences to George Floyd’s family who had to relive painful memories during the trial.
"While the guilty verdict does not bring George Floyd back, today reminds the Black and Brown people of America that sometimes, with monumental effort on behalf of the people, a verdict reflecting the true meaning of justice can be returned," Preckwinkle said.
Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch said the guilty verdicts in Derek Chauvin’s case "suggests we may have some common sense of justice. While it's important to have faith in the future of our own humanity, it should not have taken George Floyd losing his life, Gianna Floyd losing her father, for our hearts and minds to change. Nonetheless, we are here, and Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murder by a jury of his peers. There's nothing to celebrate, though, as a system that allows this to happen still prevails. This year our legislature passed historic police reform, and we will continue to build on that. Simply put, our work here continues and we're going to make sure our policies in Illinois value Black lives."
Welch’s Republican counterpart in the house, GOP Leader Jim Durkin, issued a statement focusing on the message the verdict should send. He said Derek Chauvin is now a convicted murderer, and bad actors like him have no place in law enforcement.
State Senate President Don Harmon said, “George Floyd’s murder reignited the fight for justice across this country in the never-ending hope that someday justice might be found…and should serve as a historic marker in the ongoing work to build a just and equal society.”
Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said the Chauvin verdict is a small measure towards healing. But, she said, this moment should be the inflection point to demanding and delivering justice and accountability to all of our communities.
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