March 31, 2021

If you're not watching the trial of Derek Chauvin, you missed some heartbreaking testimony yesterday that clearly spelled out why the treatment of George Floyd was so egregious, witnesses found it painful to describe even a year later.

"It was told through the lens of eyewitnesses who were literally steps away from George Floyd as he was pinned under the knee of Derek Chauvin and who in some cases now are still haunted by what they saw. Six eyewitnesses took the stand, all recounting the scene of George Floyd's death. Donald Williams, first on the stand, stood feet away. he was so disturbed he called 911 to report it. They played the audio for the court."

"I called the police on the police," he said. Asked why, he responded, "Because I believe I witnessed a murder."

He spoke at length about how, in light of his martial arts training, he was so alarmed by Chauvin's actions.

Other young witnesses echoed Williams' feelings, highlighting what they saw has haunted them since May.

I stayed up apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more. ... I have a black father, a black brother, black friends, and I look at that, and I look at how that could have been one of them.

"That was then 17-year-old Darnella Frazier. She recorded the now infamous video showing some of the final minutes of Floyd's life. She testified along with her 9-year-old cousin, who was also at the scene. They both appeared via audio only given their ages at the time of the incident."

"What was it about the scene that caused you to come back?"

"It wasn't right. he was suffering. He was in pain," Frazier said.

"I saw the officer put a knee on George Floyd. I was sad and kind of mad."

Genevieve Hansen, a Minneapolis firefighter and trained EMT who lived nearby the scene, was emotional as she described how officers on the scene refused to let her render aid to Floyd.

"I would have been able to provide medical attention to the best of my abilities, and this human was denied that right," she said.

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