Portland, Ore., mayor declares state of emergency ahead of Chauvin verdict

Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler (D) declared a state of emergency ahead of the verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on Tuesday.

The Oregonian reported that Wheeler said the National Guard is on standby.

The decision to declare a state of emergency came just before Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill announced that the jury had found Chauvin guilty of all charges in the death of George Floyd.

Floyd’s death in May 2020 led to months of demonstrations against police brutality and cities across the country braced for the possibility of further demonstrations.

Chauvin was captured on video footage last summer kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, after arresting him for using a counterfeit bill.

The Hennepin County medical examiner’s office in June ruled the death a homicide, but defense attorneys in the trial argued that Floyd’s drug use and pre-existing medical conditions contributed to his death.

The prosecution argued that Chauvin’s knee on Floyd’s neck was an intentional act that directly led to Floyd’s death.