There were celebrations in the court premises as the US jury found a former police officer guilty of murder over the death of African-American George Floyd on a Minneapolis street last year.
Derek Chauvin, 45, was filmed kneeling on Mr. Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes during his arrest last May which culminated in his death.
The footage later went viral and sparked worldwide protests against racism and excessive use of force by police and birthed the Black Lives Matter Movement.
The Ex-Us cop – Chauvin was found guilty on three charges: second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter by the judges.
He will remain in custody until he is sentenced and could spend decades in jail.
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The 12-member jury took less than a day to reach their verdict, following a highly charged, three-week trial that left Minneapolis on edge.
After both sides presented closing arguments on Monday, the jury was isolated in a hotel with no outside contact so they could deliberate on a verdict, a process known as sequestration.
Jurors had to agree unanimously and were told they could not return home until they had made their decision.
The verdict prompted celebratory scenes outside the court, where several hundred people cheered as it was announced.
The Floyd family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, said it marked a ‘turning point in history’ for the US.
‘Painfully earned justice has finally arrived,‘ he tweeted. ‘[It] sends a clear message on the need for accountability of law enforcement.’ he concluded.
AFRICA TODAY NEWS, NEW YORK