CONNECTICUT, USA — It was nearly a year ago that George Floyd's name spread across America after millions of people watched ex-Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin place his knee on the Black man's neck for nearly nine minutes.
On Tuesday, April 19, a jury found Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter for the death of Floyd.
The reaction began to pour in across the country for Floyd and his family as Chauvin was taken away in handcuffs by bailiffs.
In Connecticut, local Black leaders expressed their relief and discussed accountability in the jury's decision.
"It was a moment of relief, that this country and our judicial system made the right decision (Tuesday)," said Pastor AJ Johnson.
Johnson leads The Urban Hope Refuge Church in Hartford, which organizes community activism in Hartford.
"When those counts came in, guilty on all three charges: one, we broke down crying, my wife starting screaming and my sons didn't know what to do. One was crying, one was joyous," he told FOX61 News soon after the verdict was read. "The kids were trying to figure out what was going on... as a Black man and as a father of two Black boys, I can be proud of our judicial system at this point in time."
State Rep. Brandon McGee (D-Windsor/Hartford) also expressed sighs of relief but immediately reminded others that more work needs to be done.
"I thought I would never see this day," McGee told FOX61 News. "Accountability is correct. This is not a time for partying but rather a time to buckle down and do the necessary work to make sure good police are supported and bad ones are weeded out, one by one."
It was a sentiment that Pastor Johnson echoed in his response while offering optimism.
"No where do we go from here?" said Pastor Johnson. " I think that there are things happening right now in our state capitol that are going in the right direction. House Bill 6662 -declare racism a public health crisis- is going in the right direction."
He added: " All these things are heading in the right direction but we still need to hold people accountable. We have to hold our judicial system accountable and our suburbs accountable."
Bloomfield Mayor Suzette DeBeatham-Brown expressed her relief and elation in the verdict.
"So to be honest with you, I am still processing it because you want justice to be served but you're never quite sure how this is going to work out," she said. "I am so elated that justice was served. I am so elated that we have finally understood that bad behavior needs to be punished. and today was the first start of that."
DeBeatham-Brown also looked ahead, discussing the next steps going forward of the Chauvin verdict, mentioning equity and diversity training.
"I think it's important that we continue to have conversations, we continue to understand that Black and brown lives - they matter," she said. "We continue to have the uncomfortable conversations about race, about equity and inclusion...diversity training needs to happen continuously on the police force."
Chauvin will now have a chance to appeal the ruling and is scheduled to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
"We still have a little ways to go, but I am deeply, deeply just humbled - I don't even know if that is the correct word," said Rep. McGee. "But I just thought I would never see this day."
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