Twitter Explained | Did We Just Get Justice for George Floyd?
Tens of thousands of Twitter users tuned in last week to hear the jury’s verdict in Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd. Streamed live on news accounts such as MSNBC, ABC and CBSnews, the trial that had captured the country's attention for weeks finally came to a close.
America is no stranger to public trials. Lizzie Borden, Leopoldo and Loeb, Rodney King’s attackers, OJ, Casey Anthony and others had widely publicized trials with highly anticipated verdicts. Chauvin’s trial, however, was the first to be live-streamed, a decision made by the judge to make up for COVID-19 restrictions closing the gallery.
Responses to the verdict—guilty on all charges—varied, ranging from relief and celebration to doubt and skepticism, and Twitter trends reflected this wide scope of reactions.
In fact, mere moments after the judge read the verdict,...