Opinion: Derek Chauvin's sentence is not enough - DW (English)

Never before has a white police officer in the US been punished as severely as Derek Chauvin for the murder of a Black man, George Floyd. But it's far too early to speak of a systemic change, says Ines Pohl.

In a murder trial, no sentence — no matter how severe — can truly represent justice. We could speak of justice if white police officers stopped killing Black people, or if the United States finally, and radically, addressed its problem of structural racism. Justice would be served if a Black or Latino child had the same opportunities as a white child on the day of his or her birth.

But the sentence in a murder trial can, at least, be appropriate. Is that the case for Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who has now been sentenced to 22 1/2 years for the murder of George Floyd? Especially in light of the fact that, based on the law in the state of Minnesota, he will probably just spend 15 of those years actually behind bars?

Disappointment is warranted

The judge could have sentenced Chauvin to 30 years in prison. It's understandable that many are angry that this maximum punishment was not applied — especially Floyd's family.

Ines Pohl heads up DW's studio in Washington

But this sentence still represents a historic step. Chauvin's punishment exceeds the state's minimum guidelines and is the longest prison sentence given to a white police officer for the murder of a Black person in US history.

At last, the impenetrable barrier that has maintained the sometimes deeply racist structures within US police forces for centuries has been fractured. 

Power of protest

The court's decision won't bring George Floyd back to life. But it shows how much power can come from the street, and how important it is for people to fight together for a fairer world. Finally, a murderer wearing a police uniform was labeled as such and sentenced for his crime.

This was due in part to the millions of people across the country chanting "Black Lives Matter!" who stood in solidarity with the man who was pinned to the ground by Chauvin's knee for nine minutes and 29 seconds — and died because he couldn't breathe.

Never before has such a broad cross section of the US public clearly stood up for the rights of the victim. That's the good news. But it shouldn't obscure the fact that the verdict against Chauvin, while an important step, is no guarantee that the US will finally find a way out of its racist spiral of violence and abuse of power.

It's rare for a murder to be captured in such striking video footage, as this one was by a bystander. Chauvin's case, which repeatedly ran the risk of becoming a show trial, attracted so much attention in part because the footage of Floyd's neck being pressed was shown over and over. That horrible video guaranteed attention — and airtime on the major TV networks.

But it will be those verdicts in less sensational murder cases that will now show whether a change in thinking is really taking place in the US, which owes its early economic success to the exploitation of slave labor — and which continues to hinder the descendants of these slaves to this day.

Nationwide police reforms are essential

The fair dispensation of justice is important. But it's equally important that US lawmakers finally push for a nationwide effort to reform policing, one that's worthy of the name. Police officers in this country urgently need better training, especially because they must constantly expect that anyone they encounter could be armed. And they should not be the first point of contact for people with mental illnesses, who can be better helped by properly trained professionals.

A white police officer will be serving a minimum of 15 years in prison for the on-duty murder of a Black man. Our thoughts should be with all the many families who have lost loved ones due to the abuse of power by the police. We know that history cannot be changed and made more just. But we can change the future.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  A global icon

  Former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of the murder of George Floyd. The Black man's brutal death in May 2020 had sparked a worldwide movement of solidarity that was expressed through protests and art. This mural features George Floyd's face and the words, "I can breathe now," a reference to his last words as Chauvin was kneeling on his neck: "I can't breathe."

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  Many faces, one message

  Black Lives Matter: In Minneapolis, George Floyd's murder was followed by violent protests against police brutality toward African Americans. On this wall on Hennepin Avenue, the city commemorates not only George Floyd, but also African Americans Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice and Philando Castile, who were also killed by police officers.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  Street art in Gaza

  George Floyd became a global figure, depicted in street art around the world. Here in Gaza City, a woman walks past a large mural linking Floyd to the Black Lives Matter movement. Chauvin, the police officer who pressed his knee on Floyd's neck, now faces up to 40 years in jail after being found guilty on all murder charges.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  Memorial site for George Floyd

  Street art can also be used to mark a memorial site, as seen here in front of this painting of George Floyd, which was also set up in Minnesota in January 2021. Mourners left flowers and political messages in front of his portrait at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South, where Floyd died.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  Black Lives Matter in NYC

  A temporary Black Lives Matter mural in Manhattan, New York City, displays names of Black people who have been victims of police violence. The Black Lives Matter protests raged around the country in the summer of 2020, gathering hundreds of thousands of demonstrators.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  An inauguration mural

  In the US capital, Washington, multiple murals commemorate the Black Lives Matter movement and show the faces of those who have died in connection with police brutality. The use of the patriotic colors, red, white and blue, is particularly striking here.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  Remembering the victim

  This work of street art featuring George Floyd's face is located in Venezuela, in the town of Valencia. It was commissioned by the city's mayor. The microphone is a reminder that Floyd had also made a name for himself as a rapper.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  'I can't breathe'

  George Floyd died after a police officer pressed his knee on Floyd's neck on May 25, 2020. Throughout the 8-minute, 46-second incident, Floyd stated several times that he could not breathe. His last words were painted onto the artwork in Berlin's Mauerpark.

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  Remembering George Floyd through street art

  A call for solidarity

  In Cologne, Germany's fourth largest city, you can find this painting honoring the political struggle of the Black Lives Matter movement. In many major German cities in the summer of 2020, people took to the streets in solidarity with the BLM movement.

  Author: Christine Lehnen

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Opinion: Derek Chauvin's sentence is not enough - DW (English)
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