NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Derek Chauvin verdict brought shockwaves of relief to Hampton Roads' faith and community leaders.
“I just feel just overwhelmed by the sheer notion that justice can be seen without color,” said Zion Baptist Rev. Tremayne Johnson.
Three guilty verdicts won’t bring George Floyd back, but Rev. Johnson said it brings him relief.
“Being disappointed so many times, I know that being a Black man and certainly in our community, I know there was reservations whether this would turn out guilty or not guilty,” Rev. Johnson said.
Over the summer protests sparked across Hampton Roads, every voice demanding justice for George Floyd. Rev. Johnson organized a rally in May and saw the unity firsthand.
“It wasn’t just Black people, it wasn’t just white people,” Rev. Johnson said. “They were all different kinds of people, all different kinds of faith, standing there together saying something has to change.”
There’s power in numbers and leaders with the Hampton NAACP said activism must carry on.
“What is going to happen to the police officer that shot and killed Donovon Lynch in Virginia Beach,” Hampton NAACP President Gaylene Kanoyton said. “What is going to happen to Lieutenant Nazario in Windsor?”
Kanoyton is calling for more police reform.
“We need consistency across this country, and we need justice to be what it is called: justice," Kanoyton said. "And not just for us.”
The jury deliberated for 10 hours.
“Ten hours is not very long,” said Criminal Defense Attorney Andrew Sacks. “What that tells me is the jury had very little trouble with the evidence.”
Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison. Sacks thinks his penalty will be severe.
“This is an opportunity for a court to send a message that we are going to revise the way we do things,” Sacks said. “We are not going to tolerate this. I think that is going to be heavy on this judge's mind.”
Rev. Johnson hopes the community keeps pushing forward.
“To also making sure, that while this is a pivotal and a very important time, that this won’t be the last time,” Rev. Johnson said. “This won’t be a one-shot wonder. Because of this guilty verdict today, we know there is hope for the future.”
The verdict brought mixed emotions to Attorney General Mark Herring. He believes it sets a precedent for the criminal justice system.
“If we are going to have a truly just and fair criminal justice system, we have a lot of work to do,” Attorney General Herring said. “For too long our country has had two systems of justice. One for Black Americans, one for white Americans. That has got to change. We really need to recommit ourselves to that long-term work to bring systemic change.”