A jury has unanimously convicted former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of the murder of George Floyd.
Chauvin had denied charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter but after 10 and a half hours of deliberation, the jury found him guilty of all charges.
Last May, 46-year-old George Floyd died after being restrained by Chauvin during an arrest in Minneapolis which was caught on camera. Mr Floyd had been approached by officers after being accused of attempting to use a $20 bill to buy cigarettes – an act senior police officers said wouldn’t normally warrant an arrest.
Footage emerged of Chauvin pressing his knee on Mr Floyd’s neck while the victim repeatedly yelled “I can’t breathe”.
The shocking scenes angered many and sparked protests against police brutality and racism across the world.
Chauvin’s lawyer argued his client acted reasonably and had died due to drugs in his system but both arguments were dismissed by the jury and their guilty verdict.
The most serious charge Chauvin was convicted of, second-degree murder, carries up to 40 years in prison.
The case of George Floyd’s murder is one of the most high-profile court cases in U.S. history and Chauvin’s trial is a landmark moment for the country.