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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – National civil rights leaders appeared alongside several members of George Floyd’s family during a Sunday night prayer service, hours before opening statements began in the murder trial of the former Minneapolis cop charged with his death.
Several dozen attendees gathered on the benches of the Greater Friendship Missionary Church, where preachers led worship, a choir sang, and family members of George Floyd were joined by Reverend Al Sharpton and Ben Crump, a lawyer of civil rights which also represents the Floyd family.
Speakers called for justice for the death of George Floyd, mirroring words spoken by leaders during a protest earlier Sunday in downtown Minneapolis.
George Floyd, who was black, was pronounced dead on May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, rested his knee on George Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes while George Floyd was handcuffed and pleaded that he couldn’t breathe.
“My brother complied,” Philonise Floyd said during the service. “He said ‘I can’t breathe.’ He said “mom”. He said “tell my kids that I love them” … No one should have to go through this, no one should have to go through this. “
Chauvin is charged with unintentional second degree murder, third degree murder and manslaughter. The procedure is due to start on Monday morning and the trial should last about four weeks.
Philonise Floyd has called for a conviction and urged observers to focus on video of the viewer capturing her brother’s struggle, The Star-Tribune reported.. Prosecutors have not said when they will play the video, but lawyers expect it to be early in the trial.
“I am convinced that he will be condemned”, declared Philonise Floyd. “As has everyone who has seen this video, because the video is proof of that.”
Sharpton, founder and president of the National Action Network, added that the prayer service also served as a show of support for the Floyd family.
“I wanted them to see all of these people coming,” Sharpton said at the event. “I wanted them to know that we are with them… we will be there with them until the end.”
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Find full AP coverage of George Floyd’s death at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
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This story has been corrected to show that the opening “statements” were scheduled to begin on Monday.
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