A local murder case that set off a worldwide movement arrived this week at its verdict, after three weeks of witness and expert testimonies: A Minneapolis jury found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
A bystander’s video had captured Chauvin kneeling on the neck of a 46-year-old black man named George Floyd — for more than nine minutes. Floyd’s death last May 25 sparked a global outcry against racial injustice and police brutality, with a clear message: Black Lives Matter.
This week’s verdict was a landmark for the United States, where police officers are rarely prosecuted (and almost never convicted) for custodial deaths. It remains to be seen if this victory for activists fighting against systemic racism will bring lasting change.
Photographer Stephanie Keith captured a young woman’s reaction to the trial’s verdict at the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis.
