Lisa Robinson reacts in Washington as the guilty verdicts in Minneapolis in the murder trial against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin were announced. Chauvin was found guilty on all charges....AP

Local leaders called the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd a step in the right direction toward healing of racial tensions.

Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the May 25, 2020, death of Floyd.

The Rev. Lewis Macklin of the Holy Trinity Missionary Baptist Church in Youngstown said the ruling was “a watershed moment in history” with the nation witnessing the system responding to an injustice that had occurred.

“It is time for healing and also a time for connecting and talking with each other about this,” he said.

He said he knew the jury had listened to all the evidence and what the judge had told them.

“The jurors not having to come back with questions or needing things explained or clarified shows what they were given was clear for them to reach the verdict they did,” Macklin said.

Macklin said the decision does provide a sense of support and faith in the legal system.

Youngstown Mayor Jamael Tito Brown said the verdict restores hope for many in the criminal justice system at the national, state and local levels and for many families who are waiting for decisions in cases involving law enforcement.

The verdict also shows a need for accountability for those individuals who wear the badge to serve and protect and whose actions have led to situations such as this, he said. The Chauvin case has been one of national concern and shows an individual in law enforcement will be held accountable for his or her own actions, he said.

“Accountability is what is key in this decision,” Brown said.

The mayor said he is proud of the work done by the local police department and the way they work with the public. The Youngstown Police Department has diversity training and conflict resolution training annually, which is very important for anyone in law enforcement, he said. The department also holds public forums to gather input from the residents on their concerns and issues and on relations between law and enforcement and people.

“Whether at the local or national level the training is so essential for all involved,” he said.

He said one step Youngstown is taking to protect both law enforcement and the public is use of body cameras, which many police agencies use.

Brown said the city and the police department were prepared for a verdict ruling one way or the other indicating while peaceful protests are fine, others would not be tolerated with law enforcement ready if there were any problems.

“I had spoken to the police chief and were ready and prepared if anything were to happen,” he said.

He said early Tuesday evening there were no issues.

TRUMBULL COUNTY

Warren Safety Service Director Eddie Colbert pointed to the peaceful demonstrations in the city last year after Floyd’s death and using those demonstrations coupled with the verdict as something to build upon. He said the unity from all races and genders along with the police department showed that a better relationship can be built.

“We can build as a community with our police department. We still have a way to go but look how far we’ve come,” Colbert said. “We had police kneeling with the protesters.”

As for the verdict, Colbert said it was justified, but there are no real winners or losers in this situation.

ACROSS THE REGION

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, said, “Today, the rule of law prevailed on behalf of George Floyd, his family and the people of Minneapolis. But while this verdict was a victory for black and brown Americans and for our country at large, true justice will not be found until we ensure there are no other George Floyds, Breonna Taylors, Eric Garners or the countless other black and brown Americans who have unjustly had their lives cut short by those sworn to protect them.

“The problems we face are systemic and if we are going to make real and lasting change, the solutions will too need to be systemic,” Ryan said.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, a Republican, said, “What Derek Chauvin did to George Floyd is murder. He killed more than a man — he nearly killed the hope of justice. The jury called it murder, and restored that hope. Chauvin dishonored his badge and a noble profession. That should weigh heavily in his sentencing hearing.”

Ohio Democratic Party Chair Liz Walters said, “While the jury reached the right decision, no verdict will change the fact that George Floyd should still be alive today. We all have much more work to do in the fight for racial justice and for a fairer legal and criminal justice system. Our hearts are with Mr. Floyd’s family and loved ones, as well as with Ohioans who have been hurting as we watched this trial unfold.”

Leaders of the United Church of Christ today expressed relief at the murder conviction, but called for “the hard and necessary work” of reforming a police culture “still marred with the vestiges of white power, white privilege, and white supremacy,” in a statement released by the headquarters in Cleveland.

“We remember George Floyd is dead and his family still grieves him. May it be the case that his life is now remembered as a turning, the re-birthing of a movement for justice. May he be remembered as the one whose death caused white Americans to turn their faces towards the pain and suffering of black communities that have been the object of white derision and scorn, a pain and suffering from which whites have too often and too easily hid their faces,” the UCC statement reads.

Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine, Republican, said, “Our system of justice worked. The jury members listened to both sides, weighed the evidence, and came to this verdict. As we go forward as a nation, we must learn from the tragic death of George Floyd.”

In Detroit, United Auto Workers President Rory L. Gamble said, “Regardless of today’s outcome, George Floyd was a man, a citizen, a fellow American and did not deserve to die on that fateful day in Minnesota. While the jury has issued a just verdict in Officer Derek Chauvin’s case, the deep divide in our nation over race was also on trial and does not end today.

“We have come a long way in this nation, but clearly given recent events, not far enough. As a father and grandfather, I live every day with the idea that my family could be treated unjustly because of the color of their skin — regardless of the content of their character. Sadly, it is our reality, the reality of all families of color in America. We must as a nation heal and grow from today’s outcome. We must focus on what unites us, not what divides us. We must strive to broaden our view. To see the world not just through our own eyes, but through the lenses of our brothers and sisters,” Gamble said.