The following statement from Duquesne University President Ken Gormley was shared in an email to all University students and employees in regards to the Derek Chauvin trial guilty verdict.

Dear Duquesne University Community,

The verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd, has been rendered by the jury. The jury, charged with rendering a fair and impartial verdict, found Chauvin guilty of all three charges: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The criminal justice system thus worked as it was designed to work.

The verdict aligns with what so many of us saw and understood from the video and testimonials about the horrific last moments of George Floyd's life. While the jury's work is done, ours as a community is not. We must learn from this moment as we continue work to create a future that includes all of us. We must also take this moment to pray for the family of George Floyd, and for all other victims of violence.

Many in our community will have a powerful response to this news. As I wrote to the campus community yesterday, please be patient and understanding with one another. While the verdict may be just, it will not repair all pain or suffering. It will still necessitate our care for one another.

I remind you that important campus resources exist through which you can express yourselves and support one another, whether through the Center for Student Wellbeing and Spiritan Campus Ministry, the Center for Excellence in Diversity and Student Inclusion or the Employee Assistance Program through the Office of Human Resources.

Please do your part, each day, to support everyone in our special community here at Duquesne.

Sincerely,

Ken Gormley President

Duquesne University

Founded in 1878, Duquesne is consistently ranked among the nation's top Catholic universities for its award-winning faculty and horizon-expanding education. A campus of nearly 8,000 graduate and undergraduate students, Duquesne prepares students by having them work alongside faculty to discover and reach their goals. The University's academic programs, community service and commitment to equity and opportunity in the Pittsburgh region have earned national acclaim.

It's time for bigger goals
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News Information

News Type

News Releases

Published

April 20, 2021