CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WEEK) — While their messages are usually similar, Peoria and Bloomington-Normal leaders had different reactions to the sentencing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd last year.
Twin cities president Linda Foster and first vice president Dr. Carla Campbell-Jackson said what was handed down Friday by a Minnesota judge was not enough. The state was seeking a 30-year sentence. Chauvin was given 22 and a half years behind bars.
“This is an utterly disappointing outcome of the sentencings and in our opinion, its indicative of the need for the NAACPs continued struggle for racial and social justice,” said Campbell-Jackson.
Pastor Marvin Hightower, president of Peoria’s chapter, said Friday’s ruling was still an important step towards racial and judicial equality.
“Considering what has happened in the past, when no sentence or no conviction has led when there have been police involved killing of unarmed African Americans, this is certainly a step forward to that path,” said Hightower.
Hightower now hopes the result will pave the way for pending legislation and other efforts to rid the US of inequality.
But Linda Foster said the sentencing wasn’t progress at all, and that there needs to be changes made to the country’s judicial system.
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