WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester branch of the NAACP says Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict is just a start.
President Fred Taylor says because the former officer was found guilty on all three charges, it sends the message: “This is the start of accountability and true justice.”
Taylor praised the actions of Darnella Frazier who filmed a video of George Floyd's arrest, saying he believes it made a huge difference in the case.
He says while the verdict is a small victory, there still a long way to go.
"This is the beginning of hopefully the end to atrocities that have been happening for way too long in this country. People are sworn to serve and protect, they really should do that. When we look to a police officer, we should look to a police officer as a friend,” Taylor said. “And being a black person driving down the street any time those lights are behind you, your heart is beating 1,000 miles an hour, even though you haven't done anything wrong and that's not right."
Taylor says while watching the trial, it felt good to see other police officers testify against Chauvin, and give an account of what actually happened.
The next step now is for Chauvin to be sentenced, which is expected to happen in eight weeks.