Today the jury rendered a full conviction in the case of the State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin. The Vera Institute of Justice issued the following statement:

The verdict is an important step toward police accountability for a brutal act of violence. While the outcome of this trial was just, it won’t bring George Floyd back, lessen the suffering of his family, or keep our communities safe from racism and police violence. A system rooted in racism and white supremacy won’t deliver the accountability or safety we deserve. There is more work to do. Vera stands with communities and leaders across the country in working for systemic change in the criminal legal system at all levels, from policing to prosecution to sentencing to incarceration.

About the Vera Institute of Justice:

The Vera Institute of Justice is a justice reform change agent. Vera produces ideas, analysis, and research that inspire change in the systems people rely upon for safety and justice. Vera collaborates with the communities most impacted by these systems and works in close partnership with government and civic leaders to implement change. Across projects, Vera is committed to explicitly and effectively reducing the burdens of the justice system on people of color and frames all work with an understanding of our country’s history of racial oppression. Vera is currently pursuing core priorities of ending the misuse of jails, transforming conditions of confinement, providing legal services for immigrants, and ensuring that justice systems more effectively serve America’s increasingly diverse communities. Vera has offices in Brooklyn, NY; Washington, DC; New Orleans, and Los Angeles.