Al Sharpton, Floyd family kneel for eight minutes, 46 seconds as Chauvin trial begins
The reverend said the outcome of the trial would prove whether or not America will hold police accountable
Reverend Al Sharpton and attorney Ben Crump held a press conference on Monday, before the start of the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis.
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According to Fox9, together with members of the George Floyd family, they kneeled for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the same amount of time former Minneapolis police officer Chauvin held his knee on Floyd’s neck during an arrest.
Last May, Floyd was detained over his alleged use of a counterfeit $20 at a Minneapolis convenience store. After being held on the ground by four police officers, he died en route to a hospital. Chauvin was the lead officer on the scene, and is being tried separately from the other three officers.
Sharpton said the moment would show people exactly how long the nearly nine-minute incident is in real-time and whether or not the country is ready to punish police officers who break the law.
“America is on trial to see if we have gotten to the place where we can hold police accountable if they break the law,” Sharpton said, as per The New York Times. “The law is for everybody. Policemen are not above the law. Policemen are subject to the law, and that’s what’s going on in this courtroom.”
The press conference was held early Monday morning before Sharpton, Crump and the family headed into the Hennepin County Courthouse.
“We want you to think of, during that time, why Chauvin didn’t in that time, get his knee up,” Sharpton announced as they invited others to join them.
“George Floyd was on the ground in that hot sun,” a participant remarked as the six-minute mark passed.
Crump added, “Anybody that don’t believe this is murder, needs to get down here for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Like you said Reverend, how can it not be intentional at this point?”
Read More: George Floyd’s brother on trial: Chauvin ‘took my brother’s soul from his body’
Crump also addressed the crowd during the Monday morning press conference. According to The Hill, he said the trial would be an important assessment of the country.
“Today starts a landmark trial that will be a referendum on how far America has come on its quest for equality and justice for all,” Crump said at a press conference outside the Hennepin County courthouse in downtown Minneapolis, per The Hill. “This murder case is not hard. Just look at the torture video of George Floyd.”
He asserted there would be no question of conviction if Chauvin’s victim was white.
“They’re going to talk about … [Floyd’s] record, but his record isn’t the issue because this is the trial of Derek Chauvin,” Crump said.
As theGrio reported, the final juror was chosen last Tuesday, wrapping up a process that took more than two weeks. It was complicated by worldwide attention to Floyd’s death, even before the city of Minneapolis announced a $27M settlement for his family during the fourth day of jury selection.
Attorneys and the judge saw more than 100 people, dismissing most because they acknowledged strong views about the bystander video of Floyd’s last moments.
The panel now includes 15 jurors. Twelve will deliberate, with two alternates. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill has said he will excuse the extra juror when opening statements begin on Monday if the 14 others still are able to serve.
Chauvin is charged with murder and manslaughter in the May 25 death of Floyd. He was declared dead at a local hospital after Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck for almost nine minutes while he was handcuffed and pleading that he couldn’t breathe.
The widely seen video set off protests in Minneapolis, some violent, that spread across the U.S. and the world.
This article contains additional reporting from The Associated Press.
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