On Tuesday a court in Minneapolis found police officer Derek Chauvin guilty of all three counts against him for murdering George Floyd in May 2020.

Derek Chauvin has been convicted of murder for killing George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes. He was found guilty of second degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.

The court concluded that Chauvin killed Floyd through a criminal assault, by pinning him to the ground so he could not breathe.

After a three week trial it took the 12-member jury took less than a day to reach the verdict.

Sentencing is expected in approximately two months.

The verdict was immediately followed by cheers by a crowd who gathered outside the courthouse.

The killing of George Floyd prompted waves of protests in support of racial justice in the US and across the world.

‘Some justice’

Rights groups and commentators on social media pointed out that the conviction of Chauvin was just one step in the direction of justice for crimes against black communities in the US.

Erika Guevara-Rosas the America director at Amnesty International said: ‘No one should expect an encounter with law enforcement to end in death. The truth is that Derek Chauvin being held guilty for killing George Floyd is the exception, not the rule.’

Commenting on Twitter, Agnes Callamard, Secretary-General of Amnesty International said: ‘Justice for George Floyd has been rendered. But there are hundreds more waiting for justice. Today’s verdict should only be the first step towards a long overdue proportionate attention to, and admission of, the historical crimes committed against black communities.’

US President Joe Biden called members of the Floyd family moments after the verdict and told the family: “Nothing is going to make it all better, but at least now there is some justice.”