LeBron James rallies cry to continue fight against racism after Derek Chauvin conviction

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James has issued a rallying cry to continue the fight against racism and social injustice following the conviction of Derek Chauvin in the George Floyd murder case. Floyd's death had caused massive protests all across the country with many NBA stars raising their voice against the prevailing social injustice in the United States. And while Chauvin's conviction is a moral victory, LeBron James believes there is a long way to go before their demons are well and truly fought. 

George Floyd murder: LeBron James calls for accountability, issues rallying cry to continue fight against racism 

With Derek Chauvin now convicted of his crimes, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James took to Twitter and reacted to the verdict with a single word: "Accountability". James had been one of the driving forces of NBA's support to the Black Lives Matter movement, and founded More Than A Vote, with the goal of energising, educating, and protecting Black voters. Just hours after the Chauvin verdict, the NBA legend shared a photo of officer Nicholas Reardon, who is white, with an accompanying caption, "YOU'RE NEXT #ACCOUNTABILITY," along with an hourglass emoji, on Wednesday in a tweet that now has been deleted. 

Reardon was dispatched after someone had called 911 saying they were being physically threatened. As the officers walked to the driveway, Ma'Khia Bryant, a 16-year-old black girl was seen swinging her knife wildly. The offers asked her to get down but she proceeded to charge at another girl or woman, who is pinned against a car. Reardon, with people on either side of him, fired four shots, and Bryant slumped to the ground. The 16-year-old was taken to the hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival. 

James later explained why he deleted the tweet, while asking his followers to continue the fight against racism. In a series of tweets, the Lakers star said that his post on Reardon was being used to create more hate and he was tired of seeing black people getting killed by the police. LeBron wrote that he is desperate for more accountability and the right isn't against one officer, but about the entire system. He wrote that anger doesn't do anybody good, but gathering all the facts and educating oneself could help. He also proceeded to offer sympathy to Bryant and her family. 

Derek Chauvin now: How many years will Derek Chauvin be in prison? 

Derek Chauvin was convicted on Tuesday of murder and manslaughter for pinning George Floyd to the pavement with his knee and will be spending the next few decades in prison. As per Yahoo News, he was found guilty of all three counts: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. With Chauvin having no prior criminal history, each count carries a presumptive sentence of 12.5 years, with a further four for manslaughter.

However, each count carries a different maximum sentence: 40 years for second-degree unintentional murder, 25 years for third-degree murder and 10 years for second-degree manslaughter. Prosecutors have already said they will seek a sentence that goes above the guideline range, indicating provoking factors, including that Floyd was especially vulnerable and that his death was observed by multiple children, including a 9-year-old girl. The sentences are likely to be served at the same time, not consecutively, per the guidelines. To answer the 'How many years will Derek Chauvin be in prison?' query, he has been basically sentenced to life imprisonment.

LeBron James injury update

LeBron James has been missing in action for the Lakers since he went down with a high right ankle sprain on March 20. James' injury came at a crucial time with Anthony Davis also out, and the defending champions have gone 7-8 since the duo were ruled out. With Davis is closer to returning on the court, LeBron still has work to do, and is just trying to do a little bit more with his activity each day. Lakers will not be rushing with the 36-year-old, as James will be a key part in their plans for the playoffs as Frank Vogel aims to defend their 2020 title. 

(Image Courtesy: nba.com)