US police trial features shocking video of George Floyd's death, emotional testimony

A shocking US police body camera video shows slain African-American George Floyd pleading for his life and onlookers angrily yelling at white Minneapolis officers to get off him while a white officer pressed a knee on Floyd’s neck.

The jury in former police officer Derek Chauvin's murder trial watched the video showing from multiple body cameras of the deadly event of May 25th, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The video showed Floyd, before his death, calling out "Mama, I love you. Lisa, I love. Tell my kids I love them." as Minneapolis white police officers hold him down.

The white police officer, who kept his knee pressed on Floyd’s neck for nine minutes, has pled not guilty to murder and manslaughter charges.

Eyewitnesses spent the first two days of the trial describing to the jury the shock of watching Floyd's struggle beneath Chauvin as bystanders screamed at police that Floyd was falling unconscious and unresponsive.

The video shower police officer directing a male bystander to step back on to sidewalk as the man asks, “You going to choke him like that, bro? I know that's what you want to do. I'm not scared of you, bro. You should check on him. He's not responsive right now.”

One of the bystanders, who identified herself as a Minneapolis firefighter, said earlier she pleaded repeatedly with officers to check Floyd's pulse, but Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd's neck, and he and fellow officer wouldn't let onlookers get close.

Another witness described seeing Floyd struggle for air and his eyes roll back into his head. He said he watched Floyd "slowly fade away ... like a fish in a bag."

The county medical examiner ruled Floyd's death a homicide resulting from the police restraint, but Chauvin's lawyers argue the death was really a drug overdose.

Video footage of the deadly arrest sparked protests in the US and around the world decrying US racism and US police brutality against Black people.

‘Disbelief and guilt over Floyd’s death’

The third day of the trial of the former US officer charged with the murder of Floyd also featured an emotional testimony.

An eyewitness who was one of the last people to speak with George Floyd broke down in tears, sobbing as he testified.

Charles McMillian, 61, broke down in sobs on the stand as he watched police bodycam footage of himself stood near Floyd as the dying man called out for his recently deceased mother.

"I felt helpless," McMillian said.

Also, a grocery store cashier testified at the trial that he regretted accepting the fake $20 bill from George Floyd that led to his arrest and eventual death.

"If I would have just not taken the bill, this could have been avoided," Christopher Martin, 19, told the court on the third day of Chauvin's trial.

Martin sold Floyd a pack of cigarettes. He told the jury he thought the bill was counterfeit and considered just letting the store deduct it from his wages, but then decided to tell his manager, and a few minutes later police were arresting Floyd on suspicion of passing a counterfeit.

Martin later said he was upset to see white police officer on top of Floyd, and went up to another Black man on the sidewalk.

"They're not going to help him, this is what we deal with," he recalled telling the other bystander, referring to police. Martin said he felt guilty.

US prosecutors are seeking to demonstrate to the jury that Chauvin had no justification for using a dangerous neck restraint on a compliant Floyd.

Chauvin faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charge -- second-degree murder. The trial is expected to last about a month.

Three other US former police officers involved in the deadly arrest -- Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J. Alexander Kueng -- are to be tried separately later this year.

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