IL Governor J.B. Pritzker statement on Chauvin’s conviction in George Floyd’s murder case

Gov. J.B. Pritzker released the following statement following the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

“No courtroom can ever replace a life, but it can and should deliver justice. Today, the jury in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial honored that truth.

“My heart goes out to the family of George Floyd, who deserve to have him alive today. I’m also thinking of all our Black communities and other communities of color who see their children or their parents or themselves in George Floyd, and Daunte Wright, and Adam Toledo, and Breonna Taylor, and Laquan McDonald.

“This verdict marks an important milestone on the journey to justice, but the fullest measure of progress is how we deliver accountability, safety and meaningful change.

“In Illinois, we are addressing law enforcement reform, criminal justice reform, economic opportunity, educational equity and health care.

“We can and must make progress every day until we have a state and a nation and a justice system that truly serves everyone. And as long as there’s more work to be done, that’s what we’ll do.”

This story was originally published April 20, 2021 at 4:57 PM.