Children Take the Witness Stand

A 9-year-old who witnessed the death of George Floyd testified in court Tuesday against Derek Chauvin. In an exclusive interview with the Racial Reckoning project, the girl – whose name is Judea – said she had to be brave in court like she was brave the day she saw George Floyd die.

“I met George Floyd’s daughter today,” Judea told reporter Georgia Fort. “She was pretty nice. Her mom kept crying, saying ‘thank you, thank you.’”

During Judea’s testimony the Judge decided not to transmit video of her or any of the other three underage witnesses who took the stand Tuesday. Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell asked Judea how seeing Chauvin with his knee on George Floyd’s neck made her feel.

“I was sad and kind of mad,” said Judea on the witness stand, “‘cuz it feels like it was stopping his breathing and kind of hurting him.”

Judea’s cousin Darnella Frazier also testified in court. Frazier was 17 when she filmed the now viral video of Derek Chauvin kneeling on George Floyd’s neck.

“It’s been nights I’ve stayed up apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life, but it’s not what I should have done – it’s what HE should have done,” Frazier said, indicating to Derek Chauvin.

While Frazier didn’t know Floyd, she says it could have been her father or her brother under Chauvin’s knee.

Georgia Fort reporting for the Racial Reckoning project.