On April 20, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder and two other counts related to the May 2020 killing of George Floyd — an incident captured in a horrific video that sparked weeks of Black Lives Matter protests across the country, including in Denver. Following the verdict, numerous prominent Coloradans released statements, including Governor Jared Polis, Mayor Michael Hancock and Denver Police Chief Paul Pazen. One of the most striking takes came from attorney Mari Newman, speaking on behalf of Elijah McClain, an innocent, unarmed 23-year-old Black man who died in August 2019 following what she's characterized as a prolonged and torturous interaction with members of the Aurora Police Department. In her remarks, Newman essentially accused Aurora of shirking responsibility for a crime on par with Chauvin's by protecting the officers whose actions resulted in McClain's death.