April 21, 2021

Co-host of "The View" Sunny Hostin appeared on ABC News Tuesday night to reflect on the Chauvin guilty verdict.

She noted that she is both a former prosecutor and also the mother of a Black man.

As a prosecutor, she was aware that quick jury verdicts often mean conviction. But she did not dare to hope for the verdict that came down, guilty on all counts.

As she reflected on the fact that her 18 year old son is in South Africa and that she feels that he is safer in South Africa than he would be in the United States, she broke down in tears.

Full transcript below:

SUNNY HOSTIN: You know, David, I have been a lawyer for 27 years. And I remember when I was in law school during my first year, the Rodney King verdict came out. And it was an acquittal for four officers who on video beat and stomped and tased a man. Beat a man 56 times with a baton. And I believed my eyes then. So I believed my eyes this time with George Floyd. And even though I knew that fast verdicts always hint at an agreement, even though all of my training told me that they likely convicted on at least the highest count or at least the lowest count, because of the history in this country, because it is so rare that police officers are convicted, because black men and black boys are killed by police with immunity in this country. That's just the truth, at a rate five times more than their white counterparts. Because I am the mother of an 18-year-old boy, who is now in South Africa. I fear that he is safer in South Africa than he is in his own country. I am so relieved that this is what justice finally looks like for my community. While I know this does not bring George Floyd back to his family, to his loved ones, to his brother who we have heard from so eloquently, at least I believe now that the movement that we have seen since his murder on video for the world to see is not just a moment. I really believe that this is a movement that we have seen. And for that, I am so, so very thankful that perhaps we will see real change, much-needed change in this country.

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