ABC News legal analyst and co-host of “The View” Sunny Hostin had an emotional reaction to the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd during Tuesday’s live coverage of the verdict announcement.
Hostin said, “I was in law school during my first year when the verdict on Rodney King came out. It was an acquittal for four officers who, on video stomped and man, beat a man 56 times with a baton. I believed my eyes then, so I believed my eyes this time with George Floyd. And even though I that fast verdicts always hint at an agreement, even though all of my training told that they likely convicted on at least the highest count or at least the lowest count, because of the history in this country, because it is so rare that police officers are convicted, because black men and black boys are killed by police with impunity in this country, and that is just the truth, at a rate five times more than their white counterparts, because I am the mother of an 18-year-old boy who is now in South Africa, and I feel that he is safer in South Africa than he is in his own country, I am so relieved that this is what justice finally looks like for my community.”
She added, “While I know this does not bring George Floyd back to his family, to his loved ones, to his brother who we have heard from so eloquently, at least I believe now that the movement that we have seen since his murder on video for the world to see is not just a moment. I really believe that this is a movement that we have seen, and for that, I am so very thankful that perhaps we will see real change, much-needed change in this country.”
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