‘Sliver of hope.’ Relief, caution as America absorbs verdict

By DEEPTI HAJELA and JOCELYN NOVECK Associated Press
NEW YORK (AP) — A sense of relief is palpable across the United States after a jury found former Minnesota Police Officer Derek Chauvin guilty of murder and manslaughter in killing George Floyd. But when it comes to what’s next, the reaction is more hesitant. Some are hopeful, pointing to the protests and sustained outcry as signs of change to come, in policing and otherwise. Others are more circumspect, wondering if the one longed-for outcome will really be the start of something better in a country fraught with a history of racial injustice, especially when it comes to the treatment of Black people at the hands of law enforcement.