Seacoast Reacts to Derek Chauvin Guilty Verdicts

Gov. Chris Sununu was among those coming out in support of the guilty verdict reached by a Minnesota jury on Tuesday against former police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd.

After just over 10 hours of deliberation a jury found Chauvin guilty of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death in May. Chauvin's bail was revoked and he will be in the custody of the Hennepin County, Minnesota sheriff until he is sentenced in eight weeks, according to Judge Peter Cahill.

"I join the people of NH in praying for George Floyd and his family and hope we can heal as a nation," Sununu said on his Twitter account. "Based on the overwhelming evidence, I supported charges being brought against Derek Chauvin from the beginning and I am glad justice has prevailed. George Floyd should be alive today, and while he will sadly never be able to return to his friends and family, we can appreciate that justice through our legal system has been delivered."

Black Lives Matter Seacoast on its Instagram page said the verdict did not represent full justice.

"This is only a small taste of accountability. True justice would be #GeorgeFloyd being alive. True justice would be our communities prospering and not living in fear of state sanctioned violence. Derek is a small pawn in a system that is still executing Black and Brown people on a daily basis. Don’t forget that," the group wrote.

Sen. Maggie Hassan said the verdict shows the criminal justice system worked and brought justice to Floyd's family.

"But while today marks progress, we still have far more work to do to ensure equal justice under the law for all," Hassan wrote on her Twitter account. "My prayers are with George Floyd's family and my thanks are with the members of the jury who listened to the evidence at hand and followed the law."

"Justice has been served, but George Floyd should be alive today. My heart breaks for Mr. Floyd’s family who’ve endured more pain than any family should ever have to. This has been the experience for too many in our communities of color. It has to stop," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen wrote on her Twitter account.

"Today’s verdict holds George Floyd’s killer accountable, but the work for justice is just beginning. Americans of all backgrounds must now come together to push for change, and Congress must address the inequalities that have obstructed equal justice under law for far too long," Maine U.S. Senator Angus King tweeted.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNH