Darnella Frazier Gives Her Testimony in The High Profile George Floyd trial
As the court proceedings of the George Floyd trial takes place in America, the trial is drawing worldwide attention. Darnella Frazier Gives Her Testimony in The High Profile George Floyd trial.
As the court proceedings of the George Floyd trial takes place in America, the trial is drawing worldwide attention. It is also being watched closely by President Joe Biden, said the White House.
The gruesome case took place in the U.S. last year when a store clerk alleged that George tried to pass a $20 bill. When Minneapolis police officers arrived on the scene, one of the four police officers- Derek Chauvin, knelt on George’s neck for about 9 minutes and 29 seconds while he was handcuffed.
George kept repeating that he couldn’t breathe however police officer Derek didn’t budge. It was not long before George succumbed to the police brutality.
Darnella Frazier, 18, who shot the gruesome video of the murder that triggered the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement gave her testimony on Tuesday at the high-profile trial. She regrets that she couldn’t save George’s life.
The heart-wrenching video that was captured by Darnella was viewed by millions all over the world and sparked debates and protests over police brutality especially towards black Americans.
While speaking to the court Darnella said “I have a Black father. I have a Black brother.”
“That could have been one of them”, she said with tears in her eyes.
“It's been nights I stayed up apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life,” she explained.
“It’s not what I should have done it's what he should have done”, she spoke in reference to police officer Derek Chauvin.
“It wasn't right. He was suffering. He was in pain,” she said in the trial.
“I knew it was wrong. We all knew it was wrong.”
WATCH: #GeorgeFloyd family kneels before Derek Chauvin’s trial starts pic.twitter.com/Kg9LtYQgfJ
— The National (@TheNationalNews) March 29, 2021
Darnella Frazier admitted that ever since she recorded George Floyd’s video, she has been carrying the heavy guilt on her shoulders for not doing enough to save George’s life. She was only 17 then.
Online users have come forward to support her on Twitter:
The video of George Floyd was played for the nine-woman and five-man jury on Monday. After watching the video on Monday prosecuting attorney Jerry W Blackwell stressed that it was a case of a murder. Contrarily, Derek’s defense attorney Eric Nelson said that George Floyd was on drugs and he died of a medical condition and not of asphyxiation.
“You will learn that Derek Chauvin did exactly what he had been trained to do,” Nelson said.
Derek Chauvin faces charges of manslaughter and unintentional second-degree murder. If found guilty of second-degree murder, he could face up to 40 years in prison. The three other police officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng also face similar charges.