Church leaders welcome George Floyd verdict

The guilty verdict against police officer
Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd
sends an “unmistakable message” that no
one should be “slaughtered on a public
sidewalk”, Bishop TD Jakes has said.
The jury found Chauvin guilty of second-
degree murder, third-degree murder and
second-degree manslaughter after
deliberating over two days.
Welcoming the verdict, Jakes, pastor of
The Potter’s House megachurch in Dallas,
Texas, said, “The jury sent an
unmistakable message today that George
Floyd’s death was unnecessary and
criminal, that every individual accused or
suspected of a crime has a right to his day
in court and should not be slaughtered on a
public sidewalk and that a nation that
purports to be a beacon of law, justice and
equality is better than what we saw in that
video.⁣”
However, he said more needed to be done
to stop police brutality against black
people.
“⁣While we are delighted by the jury’s
verdict, we are mindful that there’s still a
lot of work ahead of us,” he said.

“Our criminal justice system remains
deeply flawed. Black people
disproportionately remain victims of police
brutality and are more likely to be pulled
over or cited for negligible or phantom
traffic violations.
“Let us not relent in our efforts to press our
local, state and federal elected officials for
police reform, particularly as it relates to
qualified immunity, bias training, de-
escalation training and uniform hiring
standards.⁣”
⁣He added, “My prayer is that this will ignite
a safer society where justice is equally
allocated to absolutely everyone
irrespective of socio-economics, race,
religion or gender. Thank you to the many
officers who do not stoop to such atrocities
and honestly work toward protecting us
every day.”
Civil rights leader the Rev Al Sharpton said
on MSNBC that he “broke down in tears” at
the verdict, before adding that “the war’s
not over.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin
Welby, said he was praying for Floyd’s
family and friends.
“Justice for George Floyd was essential.
Praying for his family and friends today,
and all who waited with them. Praying too
for all who live with the trauma of racist
violence and oppression, endured over
many generations, and all who continue to
wait and struggle for justice,” he said on
Twitter.
Archbishop of St Paul and Minneapolis
Bernard A Hebda said the guilty verdict
was a “sobering moment for our
community.”
“The decision by a jury of peers punctuates
the grief that has gripped the Twin Cities in
these last months and underscores the
soul-searching that has taken place in
homes, parishes, and workplaces across
the country as we together confront the
chasm that exists between the brokenness
of our world and the harmony and
fraternity that our Creator intends for all his
children,” he said.
“We hold up once again the image of the
Crucified Christ, whose resurrection gives
witness to the healing power of
forgiveness, compassion, reconciliation,
and peace.

“It is our shared brotherhood with Jesus
that calls us to a deeper respect for all
human life. We ask him to bring healing
into our communities, comfort to the family
of George Floyd and all who mourn, and
satisfaction to those who thirst for justice.
“May the many reminders of the Lord’s
loving closeness even in challenging times
inspire us to treat each other with unfailing
respect, to work non-violently for the
common good and to be instruments of
reconciliation.”
Rev Samuel Rodriguez, president of the
National Hispanic Christian Leadership
Conference (NHCLC), said it “demonstrated
yet again how far we have to go on our
long march toward justice.”

“The wounds of our past continue to bleed
into our present reality and the tensions in
American life — revealed by this terrible
tragedy — have remind us that there will
probably be another George Floyd and
another Derek Chauvin,” he said.
“The remedy – politically and judicially
speaking – is the blind eye of justice
guiding our legislators and judges, but the
remedy for the soul of America is empathy,
understanding and love of one’s neighbor
whatever the color of their skin.
“It begins with America’s Judeo-Christian
conviction that every single human being is
made in the image of God. We will only
reach our destination on this long march if
we reach it together.
“I pray that the God of all mankind, His son
Jesus the Prince of Peace and the
comforting Spirit of the Holy Ghost will
guide our nation – including its Republicans
and Democrats – toward the ultimate
realization of the dream of Dr. King.

“I pray for the ultimate solution, which is to
raise up a new generation that doesn’t
carry with them the pain, grievance and
tragedy of the past through constant
reminders in our present. May He who
made our world and blessed our United
States with freedom, help us always repair
our world and our country in his image.”