Despite the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd, Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) believes there is still work to be done.
“We are thankful that justice prevailed but we also, I hope, understand that we still have a lot of work to do,” Demings said during Wednesday’s appearance on CNN.
Host John Berman noted President Joe Biden said the verdict “can be a moment of significant change.”
Demings replied, “The bottom line is it is a moment of significant change. It’s something we have seen before in this country. … We are not the America that we should be, but I think yesterday signifies that we are moving in the right direction to become the America that we were created to be.”
Reiterating it “is a turning point,” Demings stressed, “I believe it is incumbent on all of us in our respective places to keep the wheels of justice turning.”
She added, “We have the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act … that has passed the House. Is it perfect? Of course not, but I do believe it is a major step in the right direction.”
Watch the video below:
“We are not the America that we should be, but I think yesterday signifies that we are moving in the right direction to become the America that we were created to be," Democratic Rep. Val Demings says after Derek Chauvin was found guilty in the murder of George Floyd. pic.twitter.com/oPjzgtS3vM
— CNN This Morning with Kasie Hunt (@CNNThisMorning) April 21, 2021
Demings claimed the Senate has an opportunity to help the nation “become the America that we were created to be” and pass the legislation.
On Tuesday, a jury convicted Chauvin of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree “depraved mind” murder, and second-degree manslaughter charges.
The president said while delivering remarks on Tuesday that the verdict “can be a giant step forward in the march toward justice in America.”
He added, “We can and we must do more to reduce the likelihood that tragedies like this will ever happen and occur again — to ensure that Black and brown people or anyone, so they don’t fear the interactions with law enforcement, that they don’t have to wake up knowing that they can lose their very life in the course of just living their life.”