Obamas praise Floyd jury, urge more action: ‘We cannot rest’

by Aris Folley - 04/20/21 6:08 PM ET

Former President Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama said the jury in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin did the “right thing” in finding the former Minneapolis police officer guilty on all charges brought against him in the death of George Floyd, but added that true justice “requires much more.”

“For almost a year, George Floyd’s death under the knee of a police officer has reverberated around the world — inspiring murals and marches, sparking conversations in living rooms and new legislation,” the Obamas said in a joint statement on Tuesday. “But a more basic question has always remained: would justice be done?”

“In this case, at least, we have our answer. But if we’re being honest with ourselves, we know that true justice is about much more than a single verdict in a single trial,” they said.

Today, a jury did the right thing. But true justice requires much more. Michelle and I send our prayers to the Floyd family, and we stand with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied. pic.twitter.com/mihZQHqACV

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) April 20, 2021

While the former first couple said the verdict on Tuesday “may have been a necessary step on the road to progress, it was far from a sufficient one.”

“We cannot rest. We will need to follow through with the concrete reforms that will reduce and ultimately eliminate racial bias in our criminal justice system. We will need to redouble efforts to expand economic opportunity for those communities that have been too long marginalized,” they said.

Both offered their condolences to the Floyd family and said they hope they “may find peace.”

“And we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with all those who are committed to guaranteeing every American the full measure of justice that George and so many others have been denied,” they added.

Tags Barack Obama Michelle Obama