It was a day of emotional testimony and police bodycam footage Wednesday in the trial of Derek Chauvin. 19-year-old Christopher Marin was an employee at Cup Foods on the day George Floyd walked into the store and used a fake $20 bill Floyd used to pay for a pack of cigarettes. Martin testified that Floyd’s friend had earlier passed a fake $20 in the store, and when Floyd passed gave him the counterfeit cash, Martin thought about not saying anything adding “the other person that had come in, it kind of seemed like he was trying to scheme like he knew it was a fake bill and we was trying to get over. “I thought that George didn’t really know it was a fake bill, so I thought I’d be doing him a favor.” Martin said he briefly spoke with Floyd and characterized him as “very friendly, approachable, he was talkative, he seemed to be having an average Memorial Day, just living his life, but he did seem high.” When asked about his feelings when Floyd died, Martin said, “disbelief and guilt.” Prosecutor Matthew Frank asked, “why guilt?” And Martin responded, ” f I’d just not taken the bill, this could’ve been avoided.” 61-year-old Charles McMillian was a bystander on the scene the day George Floyd died. On the witness stand, after he was shown video of Floyd on the ground, McMillian began sobbing and prosecutor Erin Eldridge asked if he could explain his feelings. McMillian replied, “I feel helpless.” McMillian testified that he was telling Floyd to comply with officers after his own experience with the law and said he was trying to make the situation easier. Officer bodycam footage dominated the proceedings late Wednesday afternoon in the Derek Chauvin trial. The state showed video footage from all four officers involved in taking George Floyd into custody prior to his death. Officers initially approached Floyd who was sitting in the driver’s seat of an SUV outside of Cup Foods to question him about passing a fake $20 at the store moments before. Officers asked Floyd to step out of the vehicle and he says, “Mr. Officer please don’t shoot me, please, man.” Officers eventually walked Floyd in handcuffs over to a squad vehicle, where they had difficulty getting him into the backseat and Floyd pleads “I’m not resisting man, I’m not…I wouldn’t do nothing like that, I’m not that kinda guy, Mr. Officer, I’m not that kinda guy, please, I’m not that kinda guy Mr. Officer, please.” As officers struggle to get Floyd to comply with their instructions, Floyd admits he’s anxious and says he’s claustrophobic. A short time later, the officers got Floyd onto the ground next to the squad and Floyd says “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe, man…mama I love you, (inaudible) I love you…” Floyd stopped breathing a short time later.
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