The guilty verdict that was handed down in the Derek Chauvin trial was indeed gratifying. For once, the system worked. A cop who brutally snuffed out the life of a Black man was held accountable for his actions. The fact that the jury only had to deliberate for eleven hours to arrive at its decision was a testament to the superb job the prosecution team did in presenting its case; a case that had a nine minute and twenty-nine second video of George Floyd literally being murdered.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. For starters, while Chauvin was convicted on all three counts, it will be up to the judge to pass sentence. And we already know that this judge has been critical of the coverage this case has received, even calling out Maxine Waters for her, admittedly, stupid remarks before the jury was sequestered in its deliberation. There's no telling what impact, if any, those comments will have on the sentence Chauvin receives in eight weeks.
But here's the thing. As significant as this moment was, it is hardly the game changer that is needed. Yes, the family of George Floyd can breath a little easier knowing that the man who took his life is going to prison, but what about all the other senseless Black victims of police violence in this country that were not so fortunate?
Earlier this month, Daunte Wright, a 20 year-old African American, was shot and killed less than ten miles from where Floyd was killed by a white cop who mistakenly reached for her gun instead of a taser. And just one hour before the Chauvin verdict was read, a Black teenager by the name of Ma'Khia Bryant was shot and killed by a white cop in Columbus, Ohio. While we still don't know all the details yet, the pattern - white cop, Black victim - is an all-too familiar one when it comes to police and the African American community.
From the grave, the ghosts of Emmett Till, Eric Garner and Breonna Taylor cry out for justice. Like Floyd, Garner's execution has been seen by millions on YouTube, yet his killer remains free to this day. It's worth noting that the crime for which Floyd would've been charged with was passing a counterfeit twenty dollar bill; Garner's was selling illegal cigarettes; and Taylor was asleep in her own apartment, a victim of mistaken identity. Her killers weren't even charged. As for Till, his "crime" was flirting with a 21 year-old married white woman from the Jim Crow South. His killers were acquitted and later bragged in an interview that they had done it.
By comparison, Dylan Roof, a white man who shot and killed nine Black people in a Charleston, South Carolina church while they were praying, was treated to Burger King after he was apprehended by the cops. In Boulder, Colorado, another white man was arrested after killing ten people in a supermarket. Don't tell me there's no such thing as systemic racism in America. The mere fact that both men were taken alive proves that there are two systems of justice in this country: one for white people and one for people of color.
According to a Pew Research study, as of 2017, African Americans comprised roughly 12 percent of the U.S. adult population, yet accounted for 33 percent of its prison population (see below).
The reason for this disparity comes down to resources, pure and simple. It's not that Blacks commit more crimes, it's that they lack the financial resources to adequately defend themselves in criminal proceedings. All too often, African Americans and Hispanics are forced to rely on public defenders, while their white counterparts have the means to hire better (i.e., more expensive) legal counsel. This results in reduced or suspended sentences, and in some cases, the charges dropped altogether.
And because the U.S. has one of the highest rates of recidivism in the world - 70 percent or higher for most crimes - African Americans are disproportionally affected. Any discussion of criminal justice reform - including police reform - must include addressing this issue. The cost to the nation, both economically and in human terms, is incalculable.
Regarding cops, while it was encouraging to see several of them break ranks and testify against Chauvin, the Blue Wall is a long way from crumbling. The sad truth is that the vast majority of them are trained to see Black people as threats to their safety. Rather than deescalate a tense situation, they're far more likely to overreact and reach for a weapon. That is precisely what happened in the Wright shooting. It is unfathomable to me that an officer with 26 years on the force could mistake a gun for a taser. Until cops are properly trained, these types of senseless killings will continue.
The bottom line is this: the Chauvin conviction is an oasis in the middle of a vast desert. It should be celebrated, yes, but much more is needed in order to stem the tide of Black homicides at the hands of law enforcement. All the body cams and iPhones in the world can't overcome an inherently racist system. Let's not forget that the Rodney King beating was videotaped and yet not a single cop was convicted.
To quote Will Smith: "Racism isn't getting worse, it's getting filmed."
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