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Biden, Harris praise Chauvin's guilty verdict as step forward

Yahoo Finance’s Myles Udland, Brian Sozzi, Julie Hyman, and Kristin Myers recap the Derek Chauvin Trial.

Video transcript

JULIE HYMAN: A milestone for racial justice yesterday with the conviction of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer convicted on three counts in the murder of George Floyd. But racial justice advocates now saying this is just one step, right? There's much more that needs to be done. Kristin Myers has been following this developing situation. So Kristin, we heard from members of Congress. We heard from the president and vice president. So what is now the story that's emerging about what now needs to happen?

KRISTIN MYERS: Well, absolutely, Julie. So everyone is asking, essentially, what next? As you mentioned, Derek Chauvin was found guilty on all three of the counts that prosecutors had brought against him. But that doesn't mean that the trial essentially ends here. Doesn't mean that this is the end of the road for Derek Chauvin. Now, as you mentioned, Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden also addressed this last night. Let's take a listen to what President Biden had to say.

JOSEPH BIDEN: We can't stop here. In order to deliver real change and reform, we can and we must do more to reduce the likelihood that tragedies like this will ever happen and occur again. To ensure the Black and Brown people or anyone so they don't fear their interactions with law enforcement, that they don't have to wake up knowing that they can lose their very life in the course of just living their life.

KRISTIN MYERS: Now, in that speech, President Biden did mention that he has two nominations going through the Senate right now. One of them is for Kristen Clarke. She's an attorney that, if she is confirmed, would be an assistant attorney general heading up the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice. And the federal government can bring their own charges against Derek Chauvin. This is something that we've seen the DOJ do in the past, essentially bringing up charges of violating civil rights. So Derek Chauvin is absolutely-- could be facing some of those charges going ahead. And the Biden administration has indicated that they are actually investigating possibly bringing up some of those charges.

And President Biden also made mention to the fact that Congress also has a hand in this, that there needs to be some reforms that are going to be made on a level of policing. Ending qualified immunity is something that civil rights activists are calling for right now. So I think the important point to note here, Julie, is that this is not an end point. This is really a beginning point right now, not just for Derek Chauvin and what he could be facing going forward, but also for the country in terms of what policies, what terms-- in terms of what legislations might be brought as a result of George Floyd's murder.

JULIE HYMAN: And hopefully, the momentum on this front will continue. Kristin, thank you so much. Appreciate it.