The murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin will continue on Wednesday as dramatic testimony this week has renewed anger and heartbreak over the death of George Floyd.
As CrimeOnline reported, Donald Williams II, an MMA-trained fighter who witnessed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck as the unarmed man begged and gasped for air, became emotional on the stand, as the court played a recording of Williams’ 911 call.
“You could see he was in tremendous pain,” Williams said about Floyd during testimony on Tuesday. “You could see that he was trying to gasp for air, and trying to be able to breathe as he’s down there. Trying to move his face side to side to…I’m assuming, gasp for more air.”
Floyd died on May 25 after Chauvin knelt on his neck for 8 minutes during an arrest outside a supermarket, where Floyd was accused of attempting to use a counterfeit bill. Floyd’s death was captured on video and sparked worldwide protests against police brutality. As CBS News reports, a teenager who captured the most widely circulated video was one of four minors who witnessed Floyd’s death and gave witness testimony on Tuesday, though the teens did not appear on camera due to their age.
Also on Tuesday, Minneapolis firefighter Genevieve Hansen, who was at the scene, testified that she tried to provide medical help to Floyd–as she is also an EMT–but the officers would not allow it.
Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, second-degree manslaughter, and third-degree murder.
Court is expected to be back in session at 9 a.m. CT/10 a.m. ET.
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