Return to Transcripts main page
The Situation Room
Jurors Reach Verdict In Murder Trial Of Ex-Police Officer Derek Chauvin; Chauvin Guilty On All Three Charges. Aired 5-6p ET
Aired April 20, 2021 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JAKE TAPPER, CNN HOST: I'm going to hand it over to CNN's Wolf Blitzer right now.
Wolf?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST: Jake, thanks very much. I'm Wolf Blitzer in THE SITUATION ROOM. We're picking up our special coverage of the Chauvin trial verdict expected momentarily, joining us Anderson Cooper and Don Lemon.
I want to go to Sara Sidner first. She's on the scene for us in Minneapolis. She's right at the courthouse where we expect this verdict fairly soon, right, Sara?
Looks like we have to reconnect with Sara Sidner, we're going to try to reconnect with her momentarily. We're also watching all of this unfold with Don Lemon and Anderson Cooper. Let me bring in Don Lemon right now. Don, now you got some thoughts on what we can anticipate.
DON LEMON, CNN HOST: I do have some thought, Wolf. And just so, you know, I've been in communication with Ben Crump, the family attorney, and I asked him I said, Is there -- what can I say right now? Are you optimistic? Are you cautious? Who is with you? What's the mood? Where are you? And he said, Philonise and I are in the courthouse. He said the family has faith that Derek Chauvin will be found criminally liable for killing George Floyd. And again, that's from Ben Crump, the family attorney.
And as has been reported earlier that Philonise Floyd, the brother of George Floyd, is going to be in the courtroom when the verdict is read. And he is there now with the family attorney in the family. I would imagine it together. And they are cautiously optimistic that considering the time that it took the jury to deliver it, Wolf, and come up with a verdict that is going to be, at least in their favor, not exactly sure how they're going to rule on all the charges. But there you go, that is the latest from the family and the attorney, Wolf Blitzer.
BLITZER: Yeah, we're going to be checking back with them all the time. Sara Sidner, we just managed to reconnect with you, Sara, first of all, tell us where you are. And tell us what you're seeing?
SARA SIDNER, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: All right. So we are right across the street from the Hennepin County Government Center where the court is. We know that George Ford's brother, Philonise Floyd is inside of the court. We know that we have our reporter inside of the court as well, Josh Campbell.
He is there to listen to the jury read the verdict. We are awaiting, we know that Derek Chauvin is inside the court as well. Chauvin went in about three, eight minutes past three, local time, so 4:08 your time. And so everyone is waiting for the jury to come in. And everyone is waiting to hear from the foreperson as to what their decision is.
I'll give you an idea of where we're standing. If you look to my right, there is a train and the edge of where everything is blocked off around the courthouse. If you look at the little gate that's there, that's where a lot of folks have been going -- brought into the court in and out of the court in cars.
And then if you look to my left, you will see that a little grassy knoll there and just beyond that there are dozens of people that have gathered, some of whom knew George Floyd well, and who are here to speak their piece. And we do know that the family will be speaking within an hour after the verdict is read.
We also know that we heard from Philonise Floyd just before he went into court. He said he was pacing that he has been patient. But he is -- he was pacing right before he went in. He said look, I am hoping that this verdict helps me finally get some sleep because since May 25, 2020, he hasn't really been able to sleep well at night.
It has been extremely difficult for this family. It has been extremely difficult for this community. Whether you are a resident here, a business owner here, an official here, there have been a lot of very emotional folks around and those emotions are at their height at this moment. There are folks that are already in tears, there are folks that are worried about what this jury is going to do.
And so you also have another case not too far from here, a few miles from here were another black man unarmed was shot and killed by police in Brooklyn Center. And so the combination of all that makes for a very, very tense scene and that is why and I'll give you a look. The media is of course here from around the world.
This building is the Star Tribune building, which is one of the newspapers here, the newspaper here and you can see it's boarded up as well as well as almost every single other building, downtown here. And around other parts of the city as well, including near George Floyd Square, where dozens of people have already gathered there too. Wolf.
BLITZER: We're going to stay in very close touch with you, Sara. I want to bring in Omar Jimenez. He's also on the scene for us. Omar, tell us where you are and what you're seeing?
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right now, Wolf, we are at George Floyd Square. This is ground zero for where George Floyd's final moment --
BLITZER: All right, hold on Omar, this is the judge, the Hennepin County Judge, Peter Cahill.
[17:05:00] PETER CAHILL, HENNEPIN COUNTY JUDGE: All rise for the jury. All right, please be seated. Members of the jury I understand you have a verdict. Members of the Jury, I will now read the verdicts as they will appear in the permanent records of the Fourth Judicial District, State of Minnesota, County of Hennepin, District Court, Fourth Judicial District. State of Minnesota, Plaintiff versus Derrick Michael Chauvin, Defendant.
Verdict Count One. Court file number 27 CR 2012646. We, the Jury, in the above entitled matter as to count one, Unintentional Second Degree Murder While Committing a Felony, find the defendant Guilty. This verdict agreed to this 20th day of April, 2021, at 1:44 p.m. Signed Juror Foreperson, Juror Number 19.
Same caption, Verdict Count Two. We, the Jury, in the above entitled matter as to Count Two, Third Degree Murder Perpetrating an Eminently Dangerous Act, find the defendant Guilty. This verdict agreed to this 20th day of April, 2021, at 1:45 p.m. Signed by Jury Foreperson, Juror Number 19.
Same caption, Verdict Count Three. We, the Jury, in the above entitled matter as to Count Three, Second Degree Manslaughter, Culpable Negligence Creating an Unreasonable Risk, find the defendant Guilty. This verdict greed to this 20th day of April, 2021, at 1:45 p.m. Jury Foreperson, 019.
Members of the jury, I'm now going to ask you individually if these are your true and correct verdicts. Please respond yes or no. Juror Number 2, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 9, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 19, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 27, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 44, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 52, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 55, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 79, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 85, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 89, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror number 91, are these your true correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Juror Number 92, are these your true and correct verdicts?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
CAHILL: Are these your verdicts? So say you one, so say you all?
JURY: Yes.
CAHILL: Members of the Jury, I find that the verdicts as read reflect the will of the Jury and will be filed accordingly. I have to thank you on behalf of the people of the State of Minnesota for not only jury service, but heavy-duty jury service. What I'm going to ask you to do now is to follow the deputy back into your usual room and I will join you in a few minutes to answer questions and to advise you further. So, all rise for the Jury.
All right. Be seated. With the guilty verdicts returned we're going to have a Blakely, you may file a written argument as to Blakely factors within one week. The court will issue findings on the Blakely factors, the factual findings, one week after that.
We'll order a PSI immediately, returnable in four weeks. And we will also have a briefing on, after you get the PSI, six weeks from now, and then eight weeks from now we will have sentencing. We'll get you the exact dates in a scheduling order.
Is there a motion on behalf of the State?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your Honor, the State would move to have the court revoke the defendant's bail and remanded under custody, pending sentencing.
CAHILL: Bail is revoked, bond is discharged and the defendant is remanded to the custody of the Hennepin County Sheriff. Anything further? All right. Thank you.
[17:10:00]
We're adjourned.
BLITZER: So there you have it, less than 10 minutes guilty on all three counts, guilty second degree murder, guilty third degree murder, guilty second degree manslaughter. You saw the former police officer there Derek Chauvin handcuffed, he's going back into jail. He was out of jail on bail awaiting these verdicts, guilty on all three counts.
Let's get immediate reaction from Don Lemon. Don, you're watching this as closely as anyone?
LEMON: Justice has been served. And you can see the reaction from the crowd how America feels. And I'm sure people who are watching all over this country, watching all over the world or on their devices, getting messages from people, as I am saying, thank you, Jesus. Thank God, finally, finally, justice on all counts.
The Attorney for the, Crump, family has reached out and given me a statement, Wolf, and he says guilty. Painfully earned justice has finally arrived for George Floyd's family. This verdict is a turning point in history and sends a clear message on the need for accountability of law enforcement. Justice for black America is justice for all America.
We, thank Minnesota AG Keith Ellison and his team along with our legal team for a fierce dedication to justice for George. But it does not end here. We still have work to do. We have to make the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act become law so we can hold law enforcement accountable and prevent so many of these unjustified killings of marginalized people of color.
This reminds me in so many ways, and it's not specific, but it reminds me of the tension and the passion, and the angst that was felt during the reading of O.J. Simpson people on the street hugging each other, other people were just beside themselves. But remanded into custody, the verdict spoke for itself. And if that didn't speak for itself, Wolf, a police officer who had been on the job for years, a training officer handcuff and lead away, and the next place for him, the next home for him will be prison.
BLITZER: You know, Don, this is a powerful moment in American history that we're watching unfold right now. Anderson, guilty on all three counts, second degree murder, potentially up to 40 years, we don't know if we'll get that, third degree murder, guilty, 25 years maximum sentence, second degree manslaughter guilty, maximum sentence 10 years, don't know if he's going to get all that but he's going to jail right now for potentially a very long time.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN HOST: Yeah, and just for our viewers who are watching on the left-hand side of your screen in the lower corner, what you're seeing is, that is the location where George Floyd was murdered. That is where Derek Chauvin killed, murdered George Floyd. On the right-hand side of your screen is outside the courthouse where we were seeing George Floyd's girlfriend.
Van Jones, your response to your reaction to this verdict?
VAN JONES, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Well, one down many, many more to go. But I think about that young girl who brought on her cell phone, and he stood there and for not knowing what to do, but just holding that phone steady. She did the right thing. All those community members who came and begged and pleaded and talk, they did the right thing, that EMT person did the right thing.
When people call the police on the police, they did the right thing. When the police chief fired this man, he did the right thing. When people marched by them, they did the right thing. And part of what I think the message has to be is that we have to get more involved. It started with that young girl. She got involved. And then you got a community stand up. And you had a governor step in and take the case and give it to Keith Ellison to make sure that it was done the right way.
This is the beginning of something. This is not the end of anything. This is the beginning of something. Where is Congress? They need to act. Those chokeholds are still legal, according to federal government that needs to change. There's no duty to intervene from the federal government that needs to change.
There's no registry for cops like Chauvin that needs to change. No, we have somebody like a Representative Karen bass and Tim Scott fighting, we need to get behind them. This should never happen again. One down, many more to go but sometimes when we fight we lose, but sometimes when we fight, we won, the people won.
COOPER: When you saw Derek Chauvin putting his hands behind his back being handcuffed and led out of the court, what did you think?
[17:15:00]
JONES: Justice, justice. I've seen so many kids who've done so much less than him, walk out a courtroom in handcuffs with much less evidence. I've seen kids do 20 years, 30 years on snitch evidence, just one kid testify against another kid and go away to prison. You don't have TV cameras and body cameras and cell phones. So many young people from that community sitting in prison, and cops getting away with murder over and over again, that's what justice looks like.
When people break down, all we want is the police to obey the law. We're not asking for anything but that for the police to obey the law. And when they break the law, they should have handcuffs just like anybody else. We don't want them to be below us or beneath us. They should obey the law. That is what justice looks like.
COOPER: Do you worry some people are going to see this and say, OK, that's good. It's done. It's over.
JONES: It took too long. It took too long. It took too much marching. It took too much. It took too many tears, and it was too close. And I don't care who you are this morning, you woke up afraid to hope you were scared to hope. Even with all the evidence you saw you were scared hope this morning that tells you we need real change.
COOPER: Laura.
LAURA COATES, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: You know, these bystanders, we heard in the prosecution's closing they bore witness to what was happening. They felt powerless. They felt guilt. They felt remorse that they could not do more. And I remember that 18-year-old who had the wherewithal and the fortitude to hold America's eyes to what was going on.
And said, I spent nights being guilty, apologizing to George Floyd. And then I realized it's not what I should have done. It's what you should have done talking to the officer who was standing there in that courtroom.
And the idea here that here we are going from a feeling of powerless to having it handed over to the jury, for them to now assign guilt to somebody who was not a part of the noble profession of police officers that was acting under the color of law because he could and how dare anyone question my ability to keep my knee on the neck of a man for nine minutes and 29 seconds?
This is a profound moment of justice. But it's also one as, Van talks about, I look ahead to what justice actually means in a definitive and holistic sense. This is but a start, but at least now I can answer my son's question when he says, mommy, what if that happened to me? I can at least show him with justice look like today.
COOPER: I want to go to Sara Sidner. Sara, explain where you are, what you're seeing. Sara Sidner, where she's getting back into position, we'll go back. Let's go back to -- we'll go back to her very shortly.
Laura, just in terms of what happens now sentencing now is several weeks away?
COATES: It is, in first what happens as they said you'll have the -- what they call the Blakeley factors, the idea of those aggravating factors that means is the judge will now decide whether the idea that happening in front of the child, we know as young as nine years old, the idea of George Floyd being particularly vulnerable in the position, the idea of the power dynamic of an officer to a civilian, the judge will now assess those aggravating factors.
You will also have the notion of what's called the PSI. He's at the pre-sentencing report, essentially. And what that is, is to show the difference, they call them chromogenic factors that say, what's his remorse? What's his criminal history, if any, I suspect there's none.
He's a police officer, or was after all, and the idea is about, what would a holistic rehabilitation plan look like? Remember, he's not serving life in prison on any of these charges. So he will one day return to society. What will that look like when he does?
COOPER: You know, Van, Laura could have talked about bearing witness and you talked about as well, the young woman who held the video camera up and all of us carry those cameras with us. But it really reminds so many people, reminds us all that we can bear witness in our own lives. I'm not talking about videotaping things. I'm talking about bearing witness to the struggles of others, bearing witness to the pain, to the injustices that we see?
JONES: Yeah, and that was one of the most beautiful things that happened in January, February 2020. If you'd ask, probably the average white person, is police brutality a big deals, is anti-racism a big deal? Someone said yes, somebody said no. Because of that young one, and because of the video 20 million white Americans marched according to some like millions, I didn't say thousands, millions.
There were Black Lives Matter marches in Idaho. We ain't got no black people. That gives you a sense of how humanity's heart was touched. And so that shouldn't just happen in the streets when we're marching, there's so many opportunities, to your point, for us to do better.
Listen, the empathy gap that we're seeing throughout our politics can start to close a little bit. Because don't forget it's important that young people understand this, the poor his chief fired the guy and testified against him. There were people throughout the profession of law enforcement who came forward and did the right thing for once.
And guess what, all these people still have jobs. And Chauvin is in jail. So more cops can speak up, more police chiefs can speak up, and more people can do the right thing in these situations.
[17:20:20]
COOPER: We want to go to Don Lemon. Don.
LEMON: Anderson, thanks. And, you know, Van, you're absolutely right. And so is Laura. Laura, we spoke earlier today. And we talked about the people who were standing there on the side of the street and filming this. And yes, they did feel helpless in the moment, but they didn't know their power, then.
But they certainly know their power now. But I just want to add to, you know, when Van said that, we're going to -- there's a lot more to be done, with there needs to be done, police officers around the country, police officers around the country are going to have to do things, they are going to have to hold their fellow officers accountable.
There are other officers who were involved in this particular incident. And in that moment, they did not -- it doesn't seem that they held their fellow officers accountable. And with the Army Lieutenant in Virginia, no one held that officer accountable as he was spraying the other officer and treating him in a way that was just demoralizing and disrespectful.
So it's going -- it's -- yes, it's incumbent upon the citizens to hold these police officers accountable. But it's going to be incumbent upon the organization and the fellow officers who were there every day with those officers who are not doing the right thing, to hold them accountable. I want to -- go ahead, go ahead.
COOPER: No, I just want to bring into your time that officers, I want to just bring in Chief Ramsey, Don, to our conversation, your perspective now, when you see what's happened?
CHARLES RAMSEY, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, first of all, this is the right verdict. And I go back to the closing arguments that the prosecution made the comment that this isn't an anti-police trial, it's a pro-police trial. And when I think about all the men and women that have been killed in the line of duty serving others, when I think about the men and women out there right now, serving honorably, this decision supports them. It doesn't harm.
You know, I've been in policing for more than 50 years. And I've seen a good side of it. But there is a dark side. And that's the side that Derek Chauvin, and others like him, that's where they operate is on that dark side. And light has to be shown there.
And there has to be changes, there has to be reformed. And I hope that this is a springboard toward really getting there. Because we have a short attention span, we tend to deal with what's the issue of the moment and kind of, you know, quiet down a little bit, then it comes back with something else. You can't afford to do that. I think the President is making a mistake by not taking the lead on police reform and saying, well, Congress, our Congress can't do much of anything right now.
And so, you know, there needs to really be the leadership there. This is the moment, the moment is now I'm proud that I spent 50 years in policing, I wouldn't change it for anything in the world. But I also can't be blind to the fact that we've got people who have no business wearing a badge and a gun.
And even in our training, we don't train, we don't teach the history of policing. So young cops hit the street and wonder why they go in some neighborhoods and people look at them with suspicion and don't trust them is because of the history.
COOPER: Really, then --
RAMSEY: We don't -- some departments do many don't, we don't teach people how to deal with power and authority. Can you imagine hiring some 2021 year old, give him a badge and a gun in a souped-up car with lights and sirens and then wonder why you have problems? I mean, you know, we have to really look at our profession differently.
And bring the people in that can handle it in so many different ways. And right, so this is the moment and there's a lot that can be done. I'm very -- I'm optimistic. I really --
LEMON: Chief, do you think that it was -- Chief, do you think that it makes a difference to have the police chief there and other officers testifying against a fellow officer in a trial that is this big that has so much attention? You said a springboard. I think it's an inflection point possibly?
RAMSEY: Well, the other officers, is really more important than the police chief testify. Because the average cop expressed the police chief to be able to testify and say, well, he broke the rules, broke the regulations and so forth. It's the peer pressure. It's the people on the street. It's that -- when a time comes when some cop that did something wrong, and in that locker room, somebody pulls him aside and say, hey, we don't do that here, we don't do that. That's when you get changed. That's culture change. And that's what
has to happen. It can happen, not overnight, but it can happen and it starts with holding people accountable that added operate outside of the bounds of justice.
LEMON: Yeah, you're right on. I want to get down to Omar Jimenez. You see the scene as point taking place now in Minneapolis to get out to where the folks there, where it looks like their celebration. This is a cup food where Omar is and this is where this event unfolded, and the reason that we are here today. Omar Jimenez, what are you seeing there?
[17:25:09]
JIMENEZ: Yeah, Don, right now we had people literally throwing money in the air. But it has been a feeling and a scene of celebration from the very beginning, from when that verdict was read guilty on all charges. You heard people cheering. You had people crying in the streets as well.
You had people, and honestly in disbelief over the fact that we even got to this point that an officer was actually found guilty of a crime that they believed he committed long before the judge ever stepped into that courtroom and read that verdict. I mean, this is happening literal steps from where George Floyd's final moments played out.
And right now, you can't -- everywhere you turn more people are coming into this crowd. And they are getting more and more excited. And one of those people who was very emotional when the verdict was read, I want you to introduce yourself, but also just tell me why you were so emotional, once you learned that the verdict was read?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My feeling was -- it's very bittersweet because his family, much like a good friend of mine, Sandra Bland, Sandy, as I knew her, will never see her -- see him again. We'll never touch him. We'll never hug him. His daughter will grow up without a father. They'll never see him again. And he's still six feet under. So justice, in my opinion, will never be served. But it is very bittersweet. It's at least something it's, we're getting somewhere in this country. We're seeing some progress.
JIMENEZ: And I want to make sure I heard you correctly. You said you're a friend of Sandra Bland.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sandra Bland.
JIMENEZ: Now, that's a reminder when you look at this story that this is about so much more than just George Floyd and George Floyd's case that this goes beyond his name, goes to Sandra, goes to other names like Tamir Rice, and you could --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Philando Castile.
JIMENEZ: Philando Castile, even just in the Minneapolis area. So bringing that context ahead of this verdict, what were your feelings? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My feelings are and still are, were and still are, that there is no justice in this country. There is no, we have a big race problem. We have a policing problem. We need police reform immediately. This state has a bad problem with police. We're in a militarized zone. Right now, there are trucks everywhere, all over the city. And we're a peaceful city. Everyone is in peacefully protesting and we're being attacked by law enforcement here.
JIMENEZ: Let me ask you, now that the verdict has been read, and you got guilty on all charges, where do we go from here? Where do we go?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's hard to say because the problem is we have a white supremacy problem in this country, and it was well written into the Constitution. And until that constitution has changed. It's hard to say where we're headed. It's hard to feel like there's going to be justice in this country ever for people of color, who were standing on stolen land right now. So it just feels like, you know, we're -- it's hard to say.
JIMENEZ: And I want to -- and I appreciate you and your thoughts. And I want to get into the person holding onto your arm here, who said me next, me next. What do you feel about what happened today? What do you want to say to people out there?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know.
JIMENEZ: All right. Well, she's wearing a sweatshirt that says stop killing black people. And when you walk around George Floyd square here, you see signs and faces of those that have come before the George Floyd cases, before the George Floyd case, cases that in many regards, were hashtag after hashtag after hashtag in case after case after case.
And I was talking to one activist earlier who said that in Minnesota, they know how to organize, they know how to push back. And if you keep pushing and pushing and pushing, eventually they will push back. And they feel that the verdict today in large part was because of the boots on the ground, the pressure that was put on public officials to make sure that this case was prosecuted the right way. And to see all of that follow through has been an incredibly emotional experience for so many.
And I want to bring in the comments of one more person really quickly because in the moment, right after the verdict was read, he was incredibly emotional. B.J., I was standing right next to you when the verdict was read. And you completely broke down as you put your fist up in the air. What was going through your mind in that moment?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Basically, just that this is something different. This is new. I was -- just because we've been here so many times before and honestly the first thing that I really thought about was the Rodney King situation.
[17:30:02]
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I thought it could have been something similar to that just because we all saw that too. And this feels like we can breathe. This feels like something new. Let's say hopefully a new day in America.
JIMENEZ: PJ (ph), I appreciate you. All right, be safe out here.
I want to send it back to you, Wolf. Now, obviously, a scene of celebration here at George Floyd's square, the epicenter of what happened almost a year ago today.
BLITZER: Omar, thank you very much. We're going to get back to you.
Just to recap for viewers who may just be tuning in, the former Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts, second degree murder, third degree murder, second degree manslaughter. He was handcuffed as he was escorted out of that courtroom. There you see it right there.
Just moments ago, Derek Chauvin, he was out on bail awaiting this verdict. Now, he's going to jail and he'll be in jail for a long, long time. We're waiting for President Biden. By the way, we're told he's going to make a statement for the American people momentarily from the White House, reacting to the guilty verdicts.
Let's go to Miguel Marquez right now. He's over there at the scene of this murder. Omar, tell us what you're seeing there over there at Cup Foods. I mean, Miguel.
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, sir. This is Miguel Marquez, and I am at the Hennepin County Government Center where the verdict came down today. And as it was read out, this crowd erupted in what can only be described as elation after verdict, after verdict was read. I spoke to one man right in the moment and he was in tears. This is a guy who's -- I'm 6 foot, he was about 6'3, 6'4. He was absolutely in tears, people holding on to each other.
You can see right now it's become -- it's gone from the grounds of the courthouse to the street. And it's essentially a street party in downtown Minneapolis right now. And I don't know if, Jerry, you can hit the building all the way from here. But you can see the Hennepin County Government Center, you can see the National Guard members along that part of it, above the steps, they're watching out over this crowd.
And the crowd is now growing. If we look down the street on the other side of the Government Center here, the crowd is growing exponentially. There's barbecues going, there's people on top of their cars, even have somebody who's come out to do sign language for those who might need that service.
This rig, by the way, the van you're looking at with the speakers, that has been at Brooklyn Center almost every night. This is a rig that we've seen around town. This is something that whenever this particular van with the speakers show up, you know that sort of where people are gathering.
We're also listening to, I believe that's Courtney Ross, who was George Floyd's girlfriend, who responded to us a short time ago about her feelings about this verdict coming down and just -- she could barely speak, she was completely overwhelmed with emotion.
She expected guilty verdicts on all three, but to hear it in something different. The -- there is a real sense that this means not just something for Minneapolis, not just something for Minnesota, but for the country, for race relations, for policing, that this may not be the biggest step forward, but it is certainly a step forward for people here in Minneapolis. Wolf?
BLITZER: It certainly is. Miguel, thank you very much.
I want to show our viewers here in the United States and around the world the reaction of some of the crowd, as they heard about the verdicts. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CHEERS AND YELLS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow. Based (ph) on all charges.
(CHEERS AND YELLS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow.
(CHEERS AND YELLS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: Celebration as they heard the guilty verdicts for the former police Officer Derek Chauvin. They heard the Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill making the announcement in that courtroom.
[17:35:03]
Sara Sidner has been watching all of this from day one. Sara, you're there on the scene for us, give us a sense of what you're seeing.
SIDNER: The phone -- hey Martin (ph), the phone call is not connecting right now.
BLITZER: Unfortunately, Sara Sidner, we're going to have to reconnect with Sara Sidner. Don Lemon, we're watching all of this together with you, with Anderson, all of our reporters who are there, so many people are watching --
SIDNER: -- the brother of George Floyd. He was in the court when the verdict was read. He called me and there were nothing but tears, he can basically hardly get the words out. He said that this gave him both relief, and release, hearing a guilty verdict on all three counts, second degree, unintentional murder, third degree murder and manslaughter. He was emotional, he could barely speak. But he wanted people to know that he thanked them for the support that they have been given throughout this entire process. We are trying to connect with him again now as he is, you know, coming out of the court. And we know that we will hear from the family. We know that we will hear from them in not too much time from now. We are expecting to hear from them very, very shortly.
But we did hear from him. He called me from court once he was out. And you're seeing the scene of people -- everybody is here. Everybody is out in the streets. There are celebrations, there are a lot of tears. There is, you know, a lot of feeling going on right now, Wolf.
BLITZER: There certainly is. And we're going to watch it all unfold. We expect once again, momentarily the President of United States, President Biden will be making a statement. He'll be speaking to the American people on the guilty verdicts.
We're also expecting to hear from state and other officials in Minnesota. Valby (ph) reacting, but in the meantime, on the streets of Minneapolis, where Sara is, where Miguel is, where Omar is, there's a celebration going on right now.
Don Lemon, it shouldn't be a surprise that so many people, not only in Minneapolis, but around the country and probably around the world are relieved right now.
LEMON: Yes. Wolf, listen, and let's just think back to the coverage that you and I were doing in the afternoon in THE SITUATION ROOM, the last time we had this long coverage, live coverage. It was during the gassing of peaceful protesters in Washington, D.C., as we wait for this President to come out and make a statement now, the former president was preparing to do a --
BLITZER: Hold on a moment, Don. Keith Ellison --
LEMON: Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
BLITZER: -- the Attorney General of Minnesota, together with other prosecutors is about to speak. I want to hear what he has to say. He was an overall charge of this prosecution.
Yes, I guess they're going to begin. They're going to begin in a few seconds, but they're all gathered there. This is Keith Ellison speaking.
LEMON: Yes.
KEITH ELLISON, MINNESOTA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Keith Ellison, I'm the Attorney General of the state of Minnesota. And since the investigation and prosecution of this case began last May, everyone involved has pursued one goal, justice. We pursue justice wherever it led.
When I became the lead prosecutor for the case, I asked for time and patience to review the facts, gather evidence and prosecute for the murder of George Floyd to the fullest extent the law allowed. I want to thank the community for giving us that time and allowing us to do our work.
That long, hard, painstaking work has culminated today. I would not call today's verdict, justice, however, because justice implies true restoration. But it is accountability, which is the first step towards justice. And now the cause of justice is in your hands. And when I say your hands, I mean the hands of the people of the United States.
George Floyd mattered. He was loved by his family and his friends. His death shocked the conscience of our community, our country, the whole world. He was loved by his family and friends. But that isn't why he mattered. He mattered because he was a human being. And there is no way we can turn away from that reality.
The people who stopped and raised their voices on May 25th, 2020 were a bouquet of humanity. A phrase I stole from my friend, Jerry Blackwell. A bouquet of humanity. All young men and women, black and white, a man from the neighborhood just walking to get a drink. A child going to buy a snack with her cousin and off duty firefighter on her way to a community garden, brave young women, teenagers, who press record on their cell phones.
[17:40:20]
Why did they stop? They didn't know George Floyd. They didn't know he had a beautiful family. They didn't know he had been a great athlete. And they didn't know he was a proud father, or they had people in his life who loved him.
They stopped and raised their voices. And they even challenged authority because they saw his humanity. They stopped and they raised their voices because they knew that what they were seeing was wrong. They didn't need to be medical professionals, or experts in the use of force. They knew it was wrong. And they were right.
These community members, this bouquet of humanity did it again in this trial. They performed simple, yet profound acts of courage. They told the truth and they told the whole world the truth about what they saw. They were vindicated by the Chief of Police, by Minneapolis's longest serving police officer, and by many other police officers, who stepped up and testified as to what they saw and to what they knew what happened on that street was wrong.
We owe it. And we owe our gratitude to fulfilling -- we owe them our gratitude for fulfilling their civic duty and for their courage in telling the truth. To countless people in Minnesota and across the United States who join them in peacefully demanding justice for George Floyd, we say all of us, thank you. In the coming days, more may seek to express themselves again, through petition and demonstration.
I urge everyone to honor the legacy of George Floyd by doing so calmly, legally, and peacefully. I urge everyone to continue the journey to transformation and justice. It's in your hands now.
I also want to address the Floyd family if I may. Over the last year, the family of George Floyd had to relive again and again the worst day of their lives when they lost their brother, their father, their friend. I'm profoundly grateful to them for giving us the time we needed to prosecute this case. They have shown the world what grace and class and courage, really look like.
Although a verdict alone cannot in their pain, I hope it's another step on the long path toward healing for them. There's no replacing your beloved Perry, or Floyd, as his friends called him, but he is the one who sparked a worldwide movement and that's important.
We owe our thanks to the men and women of the jury who gave many hours of their time and attention to carefully listening to the evidence, weighing the facts, rendering a verdict. They are regular people from all walks of life, a lot like that bouquet of humanity on that corner on May 25th and in that courtroom.
They answer the call and they served in a landmark trial. They now deserve to return to their lives. If they ask you to respect their privacy, we ask you to honor that request. I want to acknowledge the remarkable team that helped us prosecute the case. We put everything we had into this prosecution.
We presented the best case that we could, and the jury heard us, and we're grateful for that. We had the sole burden of proof in the case. And history shows that winning cases like these can be difficult. I'm proud of every hour, every minute and every ounce of effort we put in this case. And let me tell you, we spent many hours working on this case, do we not?
We, week after week, committee meeting after committee meeting, this team never let up and it never quit. We fought every day, and we did it together. The Attorney General's Office together with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, thank you, sir. And we did it together. I'm deeply grateful to everyone who worked on the case. Most of these folks will tell you it's a bad idea to put together a team of all Michael Jordan's, nobody would want to pass the ball.
This team, that was their true strength, is sharing the load, passing the ball, understanding that all of us together are smarter than any one of us alone. And that worked.
[17:45:08]
Although the verdict has been rendered, this is not the end. In the coming weeks the court will determine sentencing, and later this summer, we expect to present another case. We will not be talking about that. This verdict reminds us how hard it is to make enduring change.
And I just want to finish by sharing some important historical legacy if you allow me. In 1968, the Kerner Commission was formed to investigate the causes of uprisings across major American cities. And a man named Dr. Kenneth Clark, a famous African American psychologist, who along with his equally accomplished psychologist, wife, Mamie, contributed to compelling research in the Brown versus Board of Education case. And Dr. Clark testified at the Kerner Commission. And I want to quote you what he said. I read that report, the one in the 1919 riot in Chicago, and it was if I were reading the report of investigating the committee of the Harlem riot in 1935, the report on investigating the Harlem riot in 1943, and the report of the McCone Commission on the watts riots.
I must say, again in candor, to you the members of this commission, it's like a kind of an Alice in Wonderland, with the same moving picture re-shown over and over again, the same analysis, the same recommendation, and the same in action. Those are the words of Dr. Clark in 1968.
Here we are in 1920, excuse me, 2020, 2021. Here we are in 2021 still addressing the same problem. Since Dr. Clark testified, we have seen Rodney King, Abner Louima, Oscar Grant, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland, Philando Castile, Laquan McDonald, Stephon Clark, Atatiana Jefferson, Anton Black, Breonna Taylor, and now Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo.
This has to end. We need true justice. That's not one case. That is a social transformation that says that nobody's beneath the law and no one is above it. This verdict reminds us that we must make enduring, systemic, societal change.
More than a month ago, months before George Floyd was murdered, the Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner John Harrington and I, released the recommendations of our working group on reducing deadly force encounters with law enforcement. What all of us in that working group, including law enforcement wanted is for everyone to go home safe. Anytime someone doesn't, everyone's lives are changed forever.
We need to use this verdict as an inflection point. What if we just prevented the problem instead of having to try these cases, we don't want any more community members dying at the hands of law enforcement in their family's lives ruin. We want -- we don't want any more law enforcement members having to face criminal charges in their family's lives ruin. We don't want any more communities torn apart.
One way to prevent this is to get into a new relationship where we as a society reexamine the use of force and our old subtle assumptions. I'm so proud of Chief Arradondo and the Minneapolis police officers, who by their testimony said, enough is enough. And another way to prevent it is by acknowledging and lifting up everyone's humanity, helping communities heal, and officers be well.
Another way to prevent it is with accountability. Passing laws and instituting policies and training is important, but they must be more than words on paper, and there must be accountability for violating them. With this verdict, we have brought some accountability. Finally, this verdict demands us to never give up the hope that we can make enduring change.
Generations of people said slavery would never in. Generation said Jim Crow would never in. Generation said women would never be equal to men. Generation said if you are different in any way, you could never be a full and equal member of our society. Today, we have to end this travesty of recurring, enduring deaths at the hands of law enforcement. Those beliefs are things we have to focus our attention on.
And as I now do close, I just want to say to you, the work of our generation is to put unaccountable law enforcement behind us.
[17:50:06]
It's time to transfer the relationship -- transform the relationship between community and the people who are sworn to protect them from one that is mistrustful, suspicious, and in some cases, terrifying, into one that is empathetic, compassionate, and affirming. With that -- that will benefit everyone, including police officers who deserve to serve in a profession that is honored in departments where they don't have to worry about colleagues who don't follow the rules.
Now, that work is in your hands. The work of our generation is to put an end to the vestiges of Jim Crow and the centuries of trauma, and finally put it in to racism. We can end it. It doesn't have to be with us into the future we decide now to have true liberty and justice for all.
The work of our generation is to say goodbye to old practices that don't serve us anymore, and to put them all behind us. One conviction, even one like this one that creates -- even one like this one can create a powerful new opening to shed all practices and reset relationships.
So with that, I just want to say that I do hope that people step forward and understand that nobody can do everything but everybody can do something. You can do something the way like everyday people like Donald Williams and Geneva -- Genevieve Hanson and Christopher Martin and Charles MacMillan, and all those teenagers and young people stepped up and did something. You can do things like help pass the George Floyd Justice in Accountability Act. It's in your hands. Let's get the work done.
And now I'd like to invite my friend and partner in justice Michael Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney.
MICHAEL FREEMAN, HENNEPIN COUNTY ATTORNEY: Thank you, Mr. Attorney General. First, I want, once again, to extend my heartfelt sympathies to the families of George Floyd. I hope today's verdict provides some measure of closure for them. Now, let me say what a tremendous job Attorney General Keith Ellison did in recruiting and organizing a talented team of prosecutors and supporting staff. Great job.
Matt Frank, Jerry Blackwell, Steve Fletcher and Aaron Eldridge were exceptional. Their use of experts, evidence and witnesses left the jury no alternative but to find Mr. Chauvin guilty. We and the people of Minnesota should rightly be proud of these four in your entire staff of volunteerism, Assistant Attorney General's and the jobs they did over the last seven weeks.
I'm also proud from the moment that the Hennepin County Attorney's Office charged Derek Chauvin with murder and manslaughter four days after George Floyd's murder, our team worked long hours side by side with the Attorney General's team.
Managing Attorney Jeanne Bergdorf (ph) did legal analysis and writing. Assistant Hennepin County Attorney Joshua Larson did witness prep and strategy development. And Vernona Boswell, manager of our victim services division, has been in direct contact for nearly a year now with the family of George Floyd.
Victim and witness advocates, Jessica Immerman (ph), and Keith Johnson manage all the witnesses, civilian and professional. My two deputies, Lolita Ulloa, and Andy LeFevour and I supplied strategic advice and coordination to this talented team 24/7.
These guilty verdicts against Mr. Chauvin cannot be the end of the conversation about officer killings of civilians. We need to prevent these killings in the first place. The Minnesota Legislature as it moves into the final three weeks of the session must pass a number of bills that will make policing fair and safer for all, but especially for black men and women and other people of color.
I've been lobbying legislators to pass these critical bills. If they fail, then it will be time once again to have a statewide taskforce told hearings and come up with model legislation intending to put an end to these deaths. I am prepared to be part of that fight. Again, Keith, great job.
KEITH: Thank you, Michael.
ELLISON: And now I'd like to ask the trial lawyers to share some thoughts if they have any. But before I do that, I'd like to, myself, thank a number of people and I'm just going to start by -- well, why don't you -- why don't we just have our trialers (ph) come forward and then we'll thank our whole team.
So, Jerry, Steve, which one you all want to do it?
(OFF-MIC)
[17:55:10]
STEVE SCHLEICHER, PROSECUTOR: Thank you, Attorney General Ellison. And when I say thank you to our Attorney General Ellison, I want to thank you for calling me and calling me back into public service, which is something that I was able to do as a federal prosecutor, as a state prosecutor, as an assistant county attorney in the United States Army.
When I left private practice, I thought those days were behind me, but I received a call, and it was from Keith Ellison. And he gave me the opportunity to step back into public service, something that is so important to me, something that I cherish. And I would just encourage anyone, if you get a call like that, as an attorney, it's such a -- it's a privileged life.
It's a noble profession. And if somebody calls you, and they ask you for help, don't overthink it. Just do it. As I found in my career, you get a lot more than you give. I'm honored to have stood with the Floyd family, to stood with the state of Minnesota as we go through this painful process together.
And it's been my privilege to practice with this incredible, incredible gifted trial team. And so, I stand here today in gratitude. I'm thankful. I want to thank the jury for their service for doing what was right, and decent and correct and speaking the truth, and finding the right verdict in this case.
JERRY BLACKWELL, PROSECUTOR: I'm Jerry Blackwell, and my comments are going to be fairly brief. I want to first say thank you to all of the selfless servants that you see standing here and the many more that you do not see who had the willingness, the courage, the passion, the intestinal fortitude, to get into good trouble. They stepped into the light, and they shine. And for that I say thank you, I'm grateful for them, I'm grateful for the opportunity that I've had to serve.
No verdict can bring George Perry Floyd back to us. But this verdict does give a message to his family, that he was somebody, that his life mattered, that all of our lives matter. And that's important. And I also hope that this verdict for all of the rest of collective all of us, will help us further along the road toward a better humanity. Thank you all.
ELLISON: Matt Frank.
MATTHEW FRANK, PROSECUTOR: Well, I can't really follow that too much. But I just want to say that it's been really a privilege to work with this awesome group of dedicated, hardworking people in this endeavor. But it's also been just a total privilege to get to know the Floyd family, and to spend time with them and get to know them. Because, first and foremost, this is for you, George Floyd, and for your family and friends. Thank you.
ELLISON: Thank you, Matt.
So let me also think very publicly --
BLITZER: All right, unfortunately, we just lost that connection but we -- actually we've just reconnected.
ELLISON: Bama Khan (ph), thank you, Zorey (ph) and Natasha Robinson. I want to thank you and your -- the next generation. The next generation of justice seekers. Deon Dodd (ph), I want to thank you. Deon (ph), where are you? Thank you very much. And I want to thank you, Vernona Boswell. You are a star.
And I also want to thank so many other people. But with that, we're going to close our comments right now. And just say that we're prepared to continue to pursue justice. Thank you.
(OFF-MIC)
BLITZER: All right. So there you have the Attorney General of Minnesota, Keith Ellison and the other prosecutors involved in this case. They did a brilliant job. They got guilty verdicts on all three counts, second degree murder, third degree murder, second degree manslaughter. We're anticipating that the President of United States will be speaking shortly over at the White House. We'll, of course, have live coverage when we hear from President Biden. He'll be reacting to these guilty verdicts on all three counts. I'm sure he is very, very pleased.
We're also standing by to hear from George Floyd's family, members of the family. They are going to be speaking out. We will be standing by for live coverage of what they have to say. And we also -- we just got a statement in from the former President Barack Obama.
