The jurors in the Derek Chauvin trial got a video experience on Wednesday when prosecutors showed copious surveillance footage previously unseen of George Floyd in Cup Foods, in addition to more body camera footage, bystander video, and “milestone” silent surveillance video from the Cup Foods intersection.
Here are the highlights from the day:
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Cross Reference Hansen
Genevieve Hansen, a firefighter with EMT experience on a day off, returned to the stand after testifying Tuesday that she was prevented by police from aiding George Floyd.
Judge Peter Cahill had reprimanded her for being combative during cross-examination by defense attorney Eric Nelson.
Nelson raised potential inconsistencies in her testimony compared to earlier statements to investigators, such as whether Chauvin had one hand in his pocket. He reminded Hansen that she had described the 46-year-old Floyd as a small man, despite his being roughly 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 220 pounds. She said he seemed frail with three men cowering over him.
In comparison, her time Wednesday morning was brief. Nelson asked her whether she showed police her firefighter identification as she offered to assist. She said she did not. Prosecutor Matthew Frank followed up on that point and asked Hansen whether she had her work ID on her during a day off. She said she did not.
Hansen along with other bystanders all shared their attempts to persuade Chauvin and the other officers to stop restraining Floyd on the pavement.
Given her training, she said it didn’t take long for her to notice that Floyd had an altered level of consciousness. She added that Officer Tou Thao repeatedly rebuffed her.
“There is a man being killed and I would have been able to provide medical attention to the best of my abilities, and this human was not provided that right.”
Cup Foods Footage and Former Employees
Never before seen surveillance video from inside Cup Foods showed that Floyd appeared animated, shuffling on his feet like he was dancing before he bought cigarettes with a suspected fake $20 bill before his deadly encounter with police on Memorial Day of last year.
Cup Foods owner Mike Abumayyaleh told reporters that he was seeing the footage for the first time since it was seized the morning after. Per directions from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Abumayyaleh is limited on what he can tell the public until after the trial is over.
Christopher Martin, a former Cup Foods employee who made the call to 911 took the stand to bring the footage to light. Floyd is seen inside the store with Maurice Hall and Shawanda Hill, who were with him in the SUV when he was first detained by police.
Martin, who lived above the store, said Floyd eventually bought cigarettes with a $20 bill. Martin said the color of the bill made him suspicious.
“When I saw the bill I noticed it had a blue pigment to it, kind of like a $100 bill would have, so I found that kind of odd and assumed it was fake,” said the 19-year-old. Interestingly, Martin said he has not been trained on how to determine counterfeit currency.
Martin said store policy meant that he would have to pay for any counterfeit currency he and his co-workers accepted.
“I took it anyway and was willing to put it on my tab, and then I second-guessed myself,” he said.
Martin went out twice with co-workers to talk to Floyd, asking him to give back the smokes or use another bill. “He just seemed like he didn’t, like, want this to happen, he was just kind of like, ‘Ah, why is this happening?'” Martin said. He said his manager then directed his co-worker to call 911 and Martin went back about his business.
Martin reiterated what he told investigators that day which was that Floyd’s speech was delayed as he “was trying to form the words.”
He also remarked that his demeanor was friendly and that he was simply enjoying an average Memorial Day, but that he did seem high.
Later he heard a commotion outside the store and saw Floyd pinned to the ground.
“George was motionless, limp, and Chauvin seemed very, he was in a resting state, meaning like he rested his knee on his neck. I pulled my phone out first and called my mom and told her not to come downstairs and then I started recording.”
He said he later deleted the recording after he saw the ambulance drive away in a different direction from the hospital.
“That made it clear to me that he was no longer with us,” he said. Pressed on why he deleted the recording, he said, “I just didn’t want to have to show it to anyone and be questioned about it.”
Later in his testimony, Martin was asked why he could be seen on exterior store video surveillance pacing about near the arrest scene and clasping his hands atop his head.
“At this point, I was kind of emotional,” he said. He then recalled a conversation with another man of color and recalled saying, “They’re not gonna help him, this is what we have to deal with.”
Judge Cahill ordered the comment stricken from the record.
Martin also said he was feeling “guilt.”
When Prosecutor Matthew Frank pressed him as to why he added, “If I would have just not taken the bill, this could have been avoided,” Martin replied.
According to Kueng’s body cam video — toward the end — you can see him speak to Cup Foods owner Abumayyalah.
“Do you still have that twenty?” Lane asks Abumayyalah, a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.
To be continued…
Read Part 2
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