Colbert Delivers Powerful Opening Monologue Minutes After Derek Chauvin Verdict

Stephen Colbert dispensed with the jokes at the top of Tuesday night’s “Late Show” to address the guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was convicted of murdering George Floyd last May.

“It’s hard to celebrate because a man is still dead,” Colbert said in a show taped minutes after the verdict was read. “But there is a sense of relief that at least this one injustice was not compounded with indifference.”

He added:

“America still has a problem of over-policing and systemic racism. But hopefully this is a step toward a future where police being held accountable for their actions isn’t headline material ― and a hope that accountability today is a deterrent for tomorrow.”

See more of his monologue below:

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.