The jury at the murder trial of Derek Chauvin found the former Minneapolis police officer guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, according to a livestream of the trial on C-SPAN.
Razor wires and concrete barriers surrounded the courthouse while the country braced for a verdict that could lead to more civil unrest following Floyd’s death last May.
The jury, comprised of 12 individuals, arrived at their decision after two days of deliberation.
Chauvin was captured on video pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck, who could be heard pleading “I can’t breathe,” repeatedly before eventually becoming unresponsive.
The incident spurred several peaceful protests on the Palouse the last year, some which led to armed counter-protests.
In June, University of Idaho students started a change.org petition, demanding the administrators terminate its multi-million-dollar contract with the Moscow Police Department, which renewed in September.
Soon after, the Office of Multicultural Affairs began sponsoring a Black Lives Matter Speaker Series featuring discussions on racial justice and systemic inequality.
After the verdict was reached Tuesday afternoon, Chauvin was put in handcuffs and escorted out of the room. Cheers could be heard erupting outside the courtroom.
Angela Palermo can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @apalermotweets