(Michigan City, IN) - A local leader of the black community is applauding the guilty verdict in the George Floyd death case.

 

Wes Scully, president of the La Porte County Chapter of the National Association of Colored People (NAACP), said he supports law enforcement but Officer Derek Chauvin definitely crossed the line by kneeling on Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes.

 

Scully also said light needs to be kept on extreme actions by law enforcement as long they continue.  “To see this Minneapolis jury serve justice is a real hope but we know this is not the end.  This is only the beginning.  The NAACP knows that evil never stops. We must continue to fight for freedom and speak up about issues of injustice until we see a society in which all individuals have equal rights without discrimination based on race,” he said.

 

La Porte City Councilman Tim Franke, who works closely with the city’s new Diversity and Inclusion Committee, said justice was served.  “While I have the most utmost respect for our law enforcement I hope this conviction serves as a reminder that there’s a line that should not be crossed,” he said.

 

Scully of Michigan City said law enforcement is needed but not officers whose actions are driven by hate or love of showing authority or power.  He also said he feels badly for Chauvin but he received what he deserved. 

 

Chauvin, 45, was convicted by a jury of second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter for the death of Floyd in May.  Reports indicate he’s being held in solitary confinement for now until sentencing.