Senator James Sanders Jr.’s Statement on the Guilty Verdict in the Derek Chauvin Trial

State Senator James Sanders said: “This is the first time in my lifetime that I have seen a white police officer convicted of killing a black man. I think justice has been served to a degree. As a first time offender Police Officer Derek Chauvin may only get 12 ½ years in prison for the murder of George Floyd, and that is not nearly enough time. He took the life of an innocent, unarmed human being. I think that today we have seen a strike against the racism that exists in our country particularly as it relates to law enforcement and black and brown people. However, we must continue to fight. The battle is not over. This is one small victory. There will be many more victories needed before we see true change. I applaud the jurors and the prosecutors in this case for accomplishing a tough job indeed.”