Witnesses continue to testify this week at the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is accused of killing George Floyd last May.
- The death of Floyd, a Black man, while in the custody of police, was one of multiple instances last year that sparked national protest against police brutality of people of color.
Here are some key takeaways from the first few days of the trial:
Off-duty firefighter Genevieve Hansen testified
On Wednesday, Genevieve Hansen — an off-duty Minneapolis firefighter who was at the scene of the arrest and the events that led up to Floyd’s death — will continue her testimony from Tuesday, Minneapolis’ Star Tribune reported. Hansen was scolded by Judge Peter Cahill on Tuesday for being argumentative with Chauvin’s defense attorney Eric Nelson.
- “I identified myself right away because I noticed that he (Floyd) needed medical attention,” Hansen said on the stand, according to the Star Tribune.
- The off-duty firefighter testified that a police officer rebuffed her offer to help Floyd and that she did not have her work identification on her at the time, according to the Star Tribune.
- “There is a man being killed, and I would have been able to provide medical attention to the best of my abilities, and this human was not provided that right,” Hansen said in court, according to the Star Tribune.
‘I believe I witnessed a murder,’ said a witness, an MMA fighter
Mixed martial fighter Donald Wynn Williams II was a witness to the events that — according to the medical examiner that conducted the autopsy, NPR reported — led to Floyd’s death.
- Williams testified that he called 911 after Floyd was taken away from the scene in an ambulance “because I believe that I witnessed a murder,” reported Minnesota’s KARE 11, an NBC affiliate.
Defense attorney Nelson asked Williams asked if he was angry at the officers at the scene and about “blood chokes” using in professional sports fighting, KARE 11 reported.
- “What began as a routine back-and-forth questioning that focused on Mr. Williams detailing his fighting experience became more pointed when Mr. Nelson began to ask him if he had threatened police as he watched Mr. Floyd be detained,” The New York Times reported. “Mr. Nelson attempted to paint Mr. Williams as an angry, disruptive bystander who had no medical experience with which to accurately judge the police officers’ actions.”
Williams also responded to Nelson of his state of mind at the time, according to KARE 11.
- “You can’t paint me I was angry. I was in a position where I had to be controlled — controlled professionalism.”
Young witnesses took the stand
Four witnesses, between the ages of 9 and 18, detailed their experiences watching the arrest and detention of Floyd. The Star Tribune reported the following:
- Darnella Frazier, who is now 18-years-old, said there has been nights she’s stayed up apologizing to George Floyd “for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life.”
- Frazier recorded the viral video of Chauvin — a white man and then a police officer — appearing to kneel on Floyd’s neck as the Black man repeatedly said “I can’t breathe.”
- “I was sad and kind of mad and it felt like it was stopping his breathing and it was hurting him,” testified Frazier’s cousin, 9-year-old Judeah Reynolds.
- Alyssa Funari and Kaylynn Gilbert, who were both 17 at the time, also testified.