NEW ORLEANS — The verdict is in. Jurors in Minneapolis, where bystanders recorded George Floyd’s horrific death on cellphones, convicted Derek Chauvin of murder after seeing that cellphone footage and hearing Floyd plead for his life.
The words, “I can’t breathe” will forever be seared onto our consciousness.
It wouldn’t have happened without these, and social media. They brought George Floyd’s death into our living rooms – and into the courtroom.
The question now is, will it make a difference in policing? Will interactions between cops and Black Americans change? Or will justice depend on bystanders with cell phones?
At the end of the day, it’s really up to police departments and prosecutors. That jury is still out.