Wednesday afternoon of the Derek Chauvin trial brought more frustration and anger to the courtroom and televisions around the world as prosecutors played long segments of video from the body camera worn by one of the rookie police officers who first arrived on the scene at Cup Foods last May. Seemingly proving to be an even more devastating account of the circumstances surrounding George Floyd’s death.
The body camera footage definitely opened even more eyes than the widely viewed bystander videos that were shown in the first two days of the trial. Making day 3 quite possibly the most emotional so far.
According to both reports and footage, Thomas Lane approached Mr. Floyd, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a Mercedes SUV outside Cup Foods. Mr. Lane drew his weapon immediately, and Mr. Floyd, from the start, was agitated, crying, and seemingly terrified. A fear that would prove justified and ultimately lead to the public lynching of Floyd.
During the trial on Wednesday, the judge temporarily halted proceedings after a 61-year-old witness broke down in tears as he recounted his memory of Mr. Floyd’s arrest. The witness, Charles McMillian, was among several who spoke through tears on the witness stand.
This week and the trial overall have brought an air of grief and guilt, as witnesses have been presented on center stage throughout the first three days of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd.
We will keep you all updated as more details and accounts are brought to the stand throughout the week and the remainder of the trial.