T.D. Jakes Praises Verdict in Chauvin Trial, Presses for Police Reform

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Apr 21, 2021, 17:39 ET

DALLAS, April 21, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bishop T.D. Jakes, a global spiritual leader, criminal justice reform advocate and longtime champion of providing opportunities for returning citizens, called the conviction of former Minneapolis officer Derrick Chauvin a major victory for justice. But he noted that Black people are still more likely to be victims of police violence and called on members of the public to continue to press elected officials and policy makers for police reform.

Jakes issued the following statement immediately after the jury verdict was announced late Tuesday afternoon:

"The jury sent an unmistakable message that George Floyd's death was unnecessary and criminal, that every individual accused or suspected of a crime has a right to his day in court and should not be slaughtered on a public sidewalk and that a nation that purports to be a beacon of law, justice and equality is better than what we saw in that video.

"We are pleased that the jury convicted Chauvin on all three charges: second-degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. It sends a strong message.

"While we are delighted by the jury's verdict, we are mindful that there's still a lot of work ahead of us. Our criminal justice system remains deeply flawed. Black people disproportionately remain victims of police brutality and are more likely to be pulled over or cited for negligible or phantom traffic violations. Let us not relent in our efforts to press our local, state and federal elected officials for police reform, particularly as it relates to qualified immunity, bias training, de-escalation training and uniform hiring standards.

"My prayer is that this will ignite a safer society where justice is equally allocated to absolutely everyone irrespective of socio-economics, race, religion or gender. Thank you to the many officers who do not stoop to such atrocities and honestly work toward protecting us every day."

About The Potter's House
Located in Dallas, The Potter's House is a 30,000-member nondenominational, multicultural church and humanitarian organization led by Bishop T. D. Jakes, twice featured on the cover of Time magazine as America's Best Preacher and as one of the nation's 25 Most Influential Evangelicals.

SOURCE The Potter's House