Witnesses speak regarding Floyd’s death

Floyd

The trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is entering its third day. Chauvin faces murder and manslaughter charges for killing George Floyd last May by kneeling on his neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds. On Tuesday, jurors heard chilling testimony from eyewitnesses, including Darnella Frazier, who was just 17 years old when she used her cellphone to film the killing of George Floyd. Her image was not broadcast on the court television feed because she was a minor at the time of his death.

Darnella Frazier: “When I look at George Floyd, I look at — I look at my dad, I look at my brothers, I look at my cousins, my uncles, because they are all Black. I have a Black father. I have a Black brother. I have Black friends. And I look at that, and I look at how that could have been one of them. 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. But it’s like, it’s not what I should have done. It’s what he [Chauvin] should have done. He should have” —

Eighteen-year-old Darnella Frazier, testifying at the trial of Derek Chauvin, who she says should have saved George Floyd’s life. The mixed martial artist Donald Williams, who also witnessed Floyd’s death, told prosecutor Matthew Frank he called 911 after seeing Chauvin put Floyd in what Williams had earlier called a “blood choke.”

Matthew Frank: “At some point, did you make a 911 call?”

Donald Williams: “That is correct. I did call the police on the police.”

Matthew Frank: “All right. And why did you do that?”

Donald Williams: “Because I believe I witnessed a murder.”

Matthew Frank: “And so you felt the need to call the police?”

Donald Williams: “Yeah, I felt the need to call the police on the police.”

Lawyers for officer Derek Chauvin attempted to counter the moving accounts by portraying the eyewitnesses to George Floyd’s death as being part of an angry mob, but another one of the eyewitnesses was an off-duty firefighter and EMT. Genevieve Hansen told prosecutor Matthew Frank that she urged the police officers to check George Floyd’s pulse as he lay motionless on the ground.

Genevieve Hansen: “I also offered — in my memory, I offered to kind of walk them through it, or told them, ‘If he doesn’t have a pulse, you need to start compressions.’ And that wasn’t done, either.”

Matthew Frank: “Is this — are these things that you wanted to do?”

Genevieve Hansen: “It would have — it’s what I would have done for anybody.”

Matthew Frank: “When you couldn’t do that, how did that make you feel?”

Genevieve Hansen: “Totally distressed.”

Matthew Frank: “Were you frustrated?”

Genevieve Hansen: “Yes.”

Minneapolis firefighter and EMT Genevieve Hansen broke down in tears as she recalled seeing George Floyd die and being prevented from helping him.

‘It feels like a cruel joke’; 19-year-old Jacksonville native killed by officer

Marcellis Stinnette, 19, was shot and killed by Illinois police. The reports say weeks after the incident the teen’s family in the River City laid him to rest Saturday.

19-year-old Jacksonville native killed

According to the reports, Stinnette was shot by a Waukegan police officer in the car Stinnette was a passenger in. The reports say Stinnette’s girlfriend was driving who also suffered injuries from the shooting.

Records show the officer has since been fired. Zhanellis Banks, Stinnette’s sister, said in a news report that she and her brother were born in Jacksonville and raised here. She said Stinnette attended Terry Parker High School and had moved to Chicago recently.

“My brother was a legend,” Banks said. “To be cut down so young, so soon, so tragic.” Banks was mourning the death of his brother.

“To be honest, it feels like a cruel joke,” Banks said. “I was sharing Ahmaud Arbery, Breona Taylor, George Floyd posts. I was going hard for our community. Now it hits home because it’s Marcellis Stinnette, my brother, 19 years old killed.”

“We don’t grieve as those who don’t have hope. Our hope is that this case will bring about the type of change, the type of transformation, that will heal (not only) this family, but will heal families and communities all over the country,” Bishop Tavis Grant said. Grant was appointed by Rev. Jesse Jackson to be the national field director of Rainbow Push Coalition, a multi-racial, multi-issue organization fighting for social change.

“I promised the family they are not going to throw blood money at them. This is not one of those cases, whether the case settles or not, wherever this cases goes, I am in for the long haul with them,” attorney Kevin O’Connor said. “We are going to make a national change to develop respect on both sides.”

The reports say Cortez Rice, the nephew of George Floyd, also attended Saturday’s memorial service. “We are going to continue to scream their name every day,” Rice said. “We are going to continue to be in these streets. It takes hand in hand.”

17-year-old Minneapolis teen being honored with a courage award from PEN America

The 17-year-old Minneapolis teenager filmed the police killing of George Floyd and for that, she will be honored with a prestigious courage award.

courage award from PEN America

On Tuesday, PEN America announced that Darnella Frazier, 17, will receive the 2020 PEN/Beneson Award at a virtual gala celebration on Dec. 8.

“With nothing more than a cell phone and sheer guts, Darnella changed the course of history in this country, sparking a bold movement demanding an end to systemic anti-Black racism and violence at the hands of police,” PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said in a statement. “With remarkable steadiness, Darnella carried out the expressive act of bearing witness, and allowing hundreds of millions around the world to see what she saw.”

“Without Darnella’s presence of mind and readiness to risk her own safety and well-being, we may never have known the truth about George Floyd’s murder,” Nossel added. “We are proud to recognize her exceptional courage with this award.”

According to the reports, Frazier will share the Courage Award with former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch.

 

More News: Thieves stole items kept to remember late 13-year-old son in Kissimmee

31 Year old Black man died by Police Shooting last Friday

31 Year old Black man died by Police Shooting last Friday in Louisiana. US police are investigating his death.

 

31 Year old Black man died by Police Shooting last Friday
31 Year old Black man died by Police Shooting last Friday

 

The police found Trayford Pellerin in the store’s parking lot with a knife, the statement says. At the point when officials attempted to apprehend him, Mr Pellerin left and officials followed by walking. The police utilized stun guns as they sought after him, but they were ineffective.

The officers shot Mr Pellerin as he tried to enter a convenience store along NW Evangeline Thruway, according to Louisiana State Police.
Mr Pellerin was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Mr. Pellerin’s passing draws close to the end of a summer that has seen broad fights and shock over racial foul play and police fierceness following the police killings of black people like George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump called for the officers involved to be fired.
“We refuse to let this case resolve like so many others: quietly and without answers and justice,” Mr Crump, who also represents the families of Mr Floyd and Ms Taylor, said.
“The family, and the people of Lafayette, deserve honesty and accountability from those who are sworn to protect them — the Lafayette police.”

 

Social unrest hindered the Road Rave Drive-in music Festival 2020

Road Rave Drive-in Music Festival
DJ Carnage Announces Orlando’s first-ever Drive-in Music festival. Road Rave Drive-in Music Festival.

Death of a 46 years old man, George Floyd in Police custody has caused massive social unrest. The act of racism and murder of a black man by a white police officer has enraged the masses and now they are on the roads protesting and demanding justice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_George_Floyd#:~:text=On%20May%2025%2C%202020%2C%20George,street%3B%20two%20other%20officers%20further. This social unrest has caused many events to get postponed and the Road Rave Drive-in music festival (first-ever drive-in music festival of Orlando) is no exception.

 

What to expect next?

DJ Carnage, who is the organizer and the performer of the Road Rave Drive-in music festival, has indicated about what to expect next regarding the post-ponded event. He has hinted to arrange the event on 20th June 2020. He has stated “As you know, our country is going through some very tough times right now, and out of respect for this powerful movement for equality, we are postponing the Road Rave in Orlando, FL, to June 20th. It would not be right to take attention away from this movement. We need to stand united against racism and police brutality in this country. We will unite again. Music heals and brings people together, and I look forward to doing exactly that with you on June 20th.”

 

More about Road Rave Drive-in Music Festival

Road Rave Drive-in music festival is Orlando’s first-ever drive-in music festival. As stated above, DJ Carnage is the organizer and the performer of this drive-in music festival. Moreover, along with the DJ Carnage, the sold-out festival was featuring Nitti Gritti, Blunts and blonds, Gravedgr, and Riot Ten. The event was so popular among the people that all the tickets and parking spaces were sold out within a day. Covid-19 precautions and social distancing was also to be maintained by the event organizers and the fans.

 

Road Rave Drive-in Music Festival.
Road Rave Drive-in Music Festival

 

 

For further details regarding the Road Rave drive-in music festival, you can visit the following: https://www.theroadrave.com/