Stephen Colbert has said Derek Chauvin’s conviction for the murder of George Floyd is “hard to celebrate” because “a man is still dead”.
The talk show host opened The Late Show with a speech in light of the verdict in Chauvin’s trial, which found him guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
“After 10 hours of deliberation, a jury in Minneapolis decided that it’s illegal for the police to murder people. That Black lives matter,” Colbert said.
“It’s hard to celebrate because a man is still dead, but there is a sense of relief that at least this one injustice was not compounded with indifference. It could easily have gone the other way.
“No matter what you saw on that tape, this nation does not have a great track record on this subject.”
Watch his full speech here:
Colbert went on to reflect on the differences between justice and accountability, saying: “At least in this case, this man faces accountability. But justice is a far more difficult goal.
“Hopefully, this is a step toward a future where police being held accountable for their actions isn’t headline material and a hope that accountability today is a deterrent for tomorrow.”
He concluded: “There is more work to be done and it’s work that all of us should be committed to because, as Ben Crump – the Floyd family lawyer – reminded us today, justice for Black America is justice for all America.”
Today, a jury in Minnesota found former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murdering George Floyd.
The verdict is a step forward.
And while nothing can ever bring George Floyd back, this can be a giant step forward on the march towards justice in America.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 20, 2021
Reacting to the guilty verdict, President Joe Biden called the decision “a giant step forward on the march towards justice in America.”
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