Sunny Hostingot emotional on-air while reporting on the verdicts that found former police officerDerek Chauvinguilty ofGeorge Floyd’s murder.
The journalist andThe Viewco-host, 52, broke down in tears on Tuesday as she spoke about the guilty verdicts during ABC News' coverage of the trial.
“I’ve been a lawyer for 27 years, and I remember when I was in law school during my first year, the Rodney King verdict came out and it was an acquittal for four officers who — on video — beat and stomped and tased a man, beat a man 56 times with a baton,” Hostin, who is also a senior legal correspondent for ABC News, began.
“I believed my eyes then, so believed my eyes this time with George Floyd,” she said.
Jurors had deliberated for approximately 10 hours before finding Chauvin, 44,guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughterin the killing of Floyd, 46, last May.
George Floyd, at left, and Derek Chauvin.Splash
“Because I am the mother of an 18-year-old boy who is now in South Africa, and I feel that he is safer in South Africa than he is in his own country, I am so relieved that this is what justice finally looks like for my community,” she said tearfully.
The guilty verdict came nearly a year after Floyd died facedown on the ground with his hands cuffed behind him as Chauvin, a white officer, pinned his knee to Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes.
Listen below to the episode ofour daily podcast PEOPLE Every Dayfor more on Derek Chauvin’s conviction.
Floyd’s murderspawned protests across the countrylast summer over police brutality and racism in the United States.
Reflecting on the trial’s outcome, Hostin said that “while I know that this does not bring George Floyd back to his family … at least I believe now that the movement that we’ve seen since his murder on video for the world to see, is not just a moment.”
Added Hostin, “I really believe that this is a movement that we’ve seen and for that I am so, so very thankful, that perhaps we will see real change — much-needed change — in this country.”
To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:
source: people.com
