Exclusive: Americans overwhelmingly approve of Chauvin guilty verdict, USA TODAY/Ipsos snap poll finds

WASHINGTON – In the hours after a guilty verdict was announced in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, an exclusive USA TODAY/Ipsos snap poll found Americans overwhelmingly approved of the jury's finding.

The survey found 71% of Americans agreed Chauvin was guilty, and most Americans surveyed followed at least some coverage of the three-week trial. When participants were identified by political affiliation, Democrats strongly concurred, at 85%, with Republicans at 55% and independents at 71%. The results were based on an online survey of 1,000 American adults from all states.

Chauvin, who is 45 and white, was found guilty of second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man. Chauvin was seen on video pinning Floyd to the ground with his knee last Memorial Day for more than nine minutes after police responded to a report that Floyd used a counterfeit $20 bill.

"In the verdict, we find a rare moment of bipartisan consensus that George Floyd's killing was a crime and, therefore, consequences are justified," said Cliff Young, president at Ipsos. "However, the perception of what actually happened still depends on Americans' partisan leaning."

FULL RESULTS: Read the USA TODAY/Ipsos poll

A viral video of Floyd's killing, along with the police shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, in March 2020, sparked international protests for racial justice and police reform. Tuesday’s verdict appeared to bring a catharsis for many Americans in a country wracked by division.

Sixty-two percent of those polled said they would accept the verdict and do nothing further like march or protest; 61% of Democrats and Republicans alike answered that way. About 16% said they would join rallies or protests in accepting the verdict, while a total of 12% said they rejected the verdict, the USA TODAY/Ipsos poll showed.

Chauvin faces 12½ years or 150 months in prison under sentencing guidelines for a first-time offender. But the prosecution argued there were aggravating factors that require a longer prison term. That means Chauvin could face a longer sentence. He returns to court for sentencing in eight weeks.

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Sharper differences around law and order

While most agreed with the verdict's outcome, the poll found differences in public views on the importance of law and order, perhaps further noting partisan differences that have become cemented in the past year.

More than half of respondents – 54% – said they believed "law and order is the most important thing to ensure, even if it means limiting peaceful protests." That answer soared to 73% among Republicans and ticked down to 43% among Democrats. Independents were at exactly half. On the flip side, 38% said the right to protest is paramount, even if violent incidents result, with 53% of Democrats, 36% of independents and 22% of Republicans agreeing.

The killings by law enforcement of Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others brought loud calls for change to policing strategies, including a push by some to dismantle law enforcement entirely.