The George Floyd case caused a stir around the world, sparking mass protests in the US when it happened. To people, his death shows that police brutality, especially against people of color, continues to happen in America.
Chauvin, who is white denied murder and manslaughter charges leveled against him. His lawyer, Eric Nelson, argues that the case was about evidence, and not a “political or social cause.”
THERE are four young witnesses who have chosen to take the stand on the second day of former cop Derek Chauvin’s trial who was accused of killing George Floyd after he knelt on his neck for nine minutes while arresting him in Minneapolis in May 2020.
Prosecutors believe that his action was a major cause in Floyd’s death.
The 46-year-old was in a grocery store when a sales clerk rang him for suspicious behavior. He was then taken outside, where he was violently arrested by Chauvin and fellow cops.
A teenager named Darnella revealed to the court that she saw Mr. Floyd “begging for his life,” comparing the pain of seeing him to seeing her dad, brother, cousins, and uncles, because they were all black.
While witnesses narrated Floyd’s innocence, defense lawyers are arguing that he actually died of an overdose. Chauvin, who is white denied murder and manslaughter charges leveled against him.
According to the 18-year-old witness, she could see Floyd terrified, begging for his life. She knew that what the officer was doing wasn’t right, and so she decided to record the incident on her phone.
She added that Floyd was in pain, crying out that he couldn’t breathe. He was even calling out for his mother at the time of the arrest. Ultimately, the teenager admits witnessing the death changed her life.
Darnella said that she stays up apologizing to Floyd for not being able to do more at the time. She now sees George Floyd while looking at the rest of her black relatives, as it could have been them.
During the trial, Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, argues that the case was about evidence, and not a “political or social cause.”
He revealed that Floyd ingested drugs at the time of his arrest in hopes of concealing them from the police. He suggested that the drugs contributed to his death.
Ultimately, Chauvin stayed silent during the proceedings. However, he took notes on a yellow legal pad while listening to evidence.
The George Floyd case caused a stir around the world, sparking mass protests in America when it happened.
To people, his death shows that police brutality, especially against people of color, continues to happen in America.
Despite the outcry, it is important to note that policemen are rarely convicted for deaths that occur while they are on duty, and most are not charged at all.
The Floyd case is a litmus test on whether the US legal system is indeed fair for all people and does not distinguish colors even if the accused is a white policeman and the victim is a black man. (MO)
Tags: #foreign, #UnitedStates, #GeorgeFloyd