By MICHAEL R. SISAK and JAKE BLEIBERG Associated Press
Law enforcement leaders say the conviction of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin for George Floyd’s death is a step toward restoring trust in the criminal justice system and repairing relations with communities. Police chiefs’ willingness to speak out about the case is a major departure from years past, when even the highest levels would close rank around an officer following an on-duty killing. But police leaders and activists alike caution that one case won’t end systemic racism or stamp out excessive force in departments nationwide. At Chauvin’s trial, jurors heard witnesses describe how the white officer pinned his knee to Floyd’s neck as the Black man cried, “I can’t breathe.”