Darnella Frazier's last words on the stand were heartbreaking:

[demmiblue]

Link to tweet

Edit: For those who aren't watching the trial, the defense tried to insinuate that her viral video changed her (as in, oooh, you received some internet fame). The prosecution asked how the event affected her life in redirect. This was her answer.

[Blue Owl]

1. K&R for visibility

[Hekate]

2. Off to the greatest page

[Spazito]

3. It was heartbreaking and incredibly powerful...

the defense made an egregious error in inferring she had gained by her video going viral while the truth is she was and is traumatized by what she witnessed and nothing will change that.

[demmiblue]

4. It was a disgusting insinuation.

I hope she, and her wee cousin, are getting some mental health assistance.

[Spazito]

8. Absolutely agree...

Everyone, especially the young people, who witnessed this horror should be offered mental health support and therapy, imo.

The defense, in opening that door, did huge damage to their case and to their client and gave the young witness even more credibility than they might have had otherwise.

[calimary]

41. I hope you're right. I hope they damaged their case BIGTIME.

Impeaching the witness - for the “crime” of exposing their precious client.

[soldierant]

34. Vile people easily believe everyone is vile,

and I don't mean the lawyer, I mean the jurors, for whom the attorney was making the suggestion.

Kudos tp the prosecution fo the redirect.

[gratuitous]

5. Conservatives love their myths

One of the persistent myths among conservatives is that when a Black person is abused or killed by law enforcement, the family celebrates that they won the ghetto lottery (and other, even less savory epithets) because now they'll get a settlement from the city that will put them on easy street. Or something. When the fact of the matter is that the family is shocked, grieving, angry, and all the other emotions that conservatives don't associate with the targets of their bigotry. Yeah, compensation for misconduct is all well and good, but the survivors would gladly have continued their lives as before and still have their brother, cousin, friend, daughter, or grandfather with them to have and to hold and to celebrate. You know, without the trauma of their violent deaths at the hands of the authorities who were supposed to serve and protect them.

[Grokenstein]

7. And as is usual with conservatives, it's 100% projection.

Conservatives have repeatedly demonstrated--and never more so than in the past few years--that they'll gladly sacrifice their own "loved" ones for just the fleeting illusion of "pwning teh libs" (cf., Matt Gaetz pushing his "son"/stage prop to go enjoy some Spring Break superspreading in Flaw'duh).

[Spazito]

10. Empathy is definitely lacking in far too many conservatives of the trump variety, imo...

They care only for themselves and when racist beliefs are added to that lack of empathy, well, we get tragedies like the murder of George Floyd and the cynicism of the black community that he and his family will ever get justice.

[Ms. Toad]

9. I didn't hear the defense's question that way.

I heard them ask about whether their life had changed since the video went viral. (That question did not elicit any description of the change.)

But whichever question was asked, it was a blunder - and a perfect setup for the prosecution to come back and ask the broader question.

Here's one news report of the quesiton:

Nelson asked if Darnella's video going viral had changed her life.

"It has," she said.

He then ended his questioning.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/george-floyd/derek-chauvin-trial-tuesday-witness-tesimony-george-floyd-minneapolis/89-ce470380-7c59-46ff-8308-464dcf77bcaa

[Spazito]

11. There is no question by letting it dangle and not asking her...

how it changed her life the inference that it was somehow beneficial was very clear, imo. Big mistake to even go there at all.

[demmiblue]

16. +1 It was completely obvious.

At least he didn't question her younger cousin.

[Ms. Toad]

18. Letting it dangle gained them nothng -

If asked to suggest the viral video gained her something the question, it was inartfully asked because it was a neutral question, and would require a followup to get there.

As asked, wthout a follow-up, it had no possiblity of helping the defense. (And created an opening even a 1L student could drive a truck through.)

[Spazito]

19. I didn't read the question, together with the lack of follow-up, as neutral in it's intent...

the lack of follow-up was deliberate and, I agree, the door that opened was big enough for a semi at the very least.

[Ms. Toad]

26. It may have been deliberate, but if so it was stupid

because change is neutral - it can be good or bad.

A skilled attorney needs to nudge "change" toward how they want the jury to hear it in order to be effective (especially when the person being questioned answers neutrally ("It has&quot . You (and people on DU generally) are inclined to hear it as trying to plant a suggestion that she gained from it. There may be jurors with a different political perspective who aren't inclined to hear it that way - so when directed at a jury that (theoretically) represents a cross section of the communty - a competent attorney would ether not go there at all - or go one step farther in nudging the jury to hear what you heard.

[Spazito]

27. I agree, a competent attorney would not have gone there...

in these circumstances.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

38. It was, no doubt, meant as you say.

Otherwise, what was the point of asking the question?

[appmanga]

40. The defense lawyer asking that question...

...is what they tell you about in LAWYERING 101: "Don't ask a question if you don't know the answer".

Not only was the question snotty and without value, he opened the door to one of the most devastating witness statements I've ever heard, which is the subject of this post, along with her final words that aren't in this post:

“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. It’s like, it’s not what I should have done. It’s what he (Chauvin) should have done.”

[RussellCattle]

6. Between this and the defense's equally stupid handling of the MMA fighter's testimony....

.....today, we have a very rare instance of a "stepping on your own dick" twice, a "twofer".

[lame54]

12. Oops - shouldn't have asked that

[joshcryer]

15. Yeah, that defense attorney dropped the ball big time on that one.

I don't think the judge would have allowed the prosecution to ask that question. But once it was asked, he was more than allowed to redirect.

[world wide wally]

13. I swear that these right wingers live in Bizarro world.

I believe they think that the more they attack a young, innocent girl, the stronger their case will be with other right winger magats.
And worst of all... they are probably right.

[mcar]

14. So heartbreaking, so sincere

The defense had the good sense to no cross examine the little girl.

[demmiblue]

17. Video/Audio:

Link to tweet

[sarchasm]

22. interesting what happened right after this quote ...

When she said, "...wondering not what I should have done, but what HE should have done. He shoulda..." (seemingly cut off by the prosecutor, then judge)

Who is HE? Did she gesture toward the defendant?

Powerful heartfelt, emotional testimony from an incredibly strong, brave young lady.

CSPAN video at 3:05:40

[iluvtennis]

20. Just heart wrenching. This young woman will suffer trauma from witnessing the murder of

George Floyd for the rest of her life.

[BobTheSubgenius]

21. One of the first rules of trial law: don't ask a question to which you don't know the answer.

"Don't even insinuate a question to which you don't already know the answer."

I'll bet the defense was hoping for something more helpful.

[LymphocyteLover]

23. what did she mean "it's what he should have done."?

Sorry I don't understand that. Is she referring to Floyd?

[demmiblue]

24. Meaning Chauvin should have taken his knee off of Floyd's neck. n/t

[LymphocyteLover]

35. that's all I could figure but in the short excerpt the context was missing

[Spazito]

25. I'm speculating that she meant

Chauvin, what he should have done as opposed to what he did do.

[wryter2000]

30. That's how I heard it

Right now an EMT who was there in tears on the stand

[Spazito]

31. The testimony today has been both heartbreaking and powerful...

I didn't know an EMT had called to report the behavior of Chauvin and the other officers until today. I think that carries so much credibility especially given her training.

I can't help but think about his loved ones having to relive this over and over again, my heart breaks for them and the witnesses we are seeing.

[LymphocyteLover]

36. Right, that makes sense

[George II]

28. President Obama expressed similar sentiments in the past as has Mayor DiBlasio.

[wryter2000]

29. So glad she said that

Her nine year old cousin testified next. Nine and she had to witness that.

[demmiblue]

32. She had the presence of mind to send her cousin into the store before...

she came back out to chronicle the event. It was a matter of time before her cousin came back out.

There are going to be a lot of emotional scars.

[nuxvomica]

33. Reminds me of what Obama said about Trayvon Martin

“If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon. When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.”

[Aussie105]

37. If anyone out there still thinks

police are their friends, and can be relied on in a time of need to help, they need to watch this trial.

If anyone wonders why people are afraid of the police, or run away from them, or shoot first, they need to watch this trial.

If anyone thinks the police force isn't filled with violent, racist people who feel empowered to act out their inner demons, they need to watch this trial.

If anyone thinks the police upper hierarchy care at all, or want to clean up the force, they need to watch this trial.

[AverageOldGuy]

39. What killed George Floyd

The defense is likely to make the argument that coroners' reports did not find evidence that Floyd was strangled.

Irrelevant and misleading and wrong.

Most of us equate strangulation with the act of putting both hands around someone's throat and squeezing, with thumbs pressed against the Adam's apple. This act results in the fracture of the tiny cricoid bone in the throat. Pathologists look for that fracture to determine if a person has been strangled. Floyd's cricoid bone was intact, therefore, he was not strangled.

Bullshit.

This is irrelevant to the Floyd murder.

Blood is supplied to the brain through two arteries -- the carotid arteries that run up the right and left sides of the neck. Because these arteries flow almost directly from the heart and carry a lot of blood, they create an easily-found pulse on both sides of your neck.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/checking-pulse-over-the-carotid-artery/img-20006075#:~:text=To%20check%20your%20pulse%20over,your%20heart%20rate%20per%20minute.


The choke hold that the cop used on Floyd is NOT a "choke hold" -- it is a hold that is intended to put pressure on the carotids, thereby shutting off blood supply to the brain. The brain will live only a few minutes without blood and that is what killed George Floyd.

This type of hold is safe for cops to use because IT CANNOT BE DISCOVERED IN AN AUTOPSY. And that's why it is taught in police training and that's why it should be outlawed. It's murder.

[calimary]

42. It's taught in police training???????!?!?!?!

OMG! They’re taught how to murder and not get caught.