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A Black Live Mattered
Black Lives Matter it is a social movement formed in 2013 based on the increase in cases of racialized police brutality against African Americans. There is a lot of history of African Americans suffering or dying at the hands of law enforcement. Most of the protests and calls to action came on the heels of avoidable deaths where the murdered faced minor infractions and were unarmed. For instance, George Floyd was murdered in cold blood because he was suspected of paying for sundries at a local store with a counterfeit $20 bill. The senior arresting officer, Derek Chauvin, knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds, while he was handcuffed and was lying facing down. Video of Floyd’s murder sparked international outrage and provided evidence to naysayers that the nation needs policing reform. Additionally, protests of solidarity sprung up across the globe in places like London, Amsterdam, and France.
After months of protests and the trending hashtag, #blacklivesmatter, Chauvin and three junior officers were indicted, and Chauvin’s case came to trial on March 8. Over the three-week period of the trial, jury members, heard from the witnesses who were present when Floyd was murdered, doctors at the hospital where Floyd was treated, and members of the Minneapolis police force. During the court proceedings, Chauvin’s lawyer argued whether his behavior aligned with police policies and whether his actions…
