April 7, 2021
Page 2
Floyd’s Family Takes Seat at Trial
Emotional video,
testimony bring
many to tears
(AP) — A member of George
Floyd’s family often occupies a
reserved seat in the back corner
of the Minneapolis courtroom
where former police Officer Der-
ek Chauvin is on trial in Floyd’s
death. The seat reserved for Chau-
vin’s family goes unclaimed.
Floyd’s younger brother Phil-
onise Floyd, of Houston, has at-
tended several days of the trial to
bear witness on behalf of his fam-
ily. He has watched the often-ex-
cruciating bystander, police body
camera and security videos of
his brother’s fatal encounter with
Chauvin on May 25, and listened
to testimony from eyewitnesses
and police.
“This is life-changing,” Philo-
nise Floyd said during a break in
the proceedings. “All this testimo-
ny is so hard on everyone.”
Chauvin, who is 45 and white,
is charged with killing the 46-year-
old Black man by pinning his neck
for 9 minutes, 29 seconds as Floyd
lay face-down in handcuffs. Floyd
had been accused of passing a
counterfeit $20 bill at a neighbor-
Floyd family attorney Ben Crump (center) joins George Floyd’s brothers Philonise (right) and Rodney (left) before the start of the murder
trial against former police officer Derick Chauvin to announce a $27 million civil lawsuit settlement between the Floyd family and the
City of Minneapolis. (AP photo)
hood market.
Nobody from Chauvin’s fami-
ly has taken the seat they’re enti-
tled to use. Chauvin was recently
divorced, and few details have
emerged about the rest of his fam-
ily. Courtroom seating has been
strictly limited due to coronavirus
concerns.
While admission to the court-
house is strictly limited, civil
rights attorney Benjamin Crump-
who represents the Floyd family,
and the Rev. Al Sharpton were
seen at the courthouse Tuesday
morning with some members of
the Floyd family, waiting for an
elevator. Gwen Carr, the mother
of the late Eric Garner, was with
them. Sharpton, Crump and Carr
held a prayer vigil with members
of the family outside the court-
house during the midday break
Tuesday.
Philonise Floyd told reporters
he’s been trying to stop crying
and has kept a box of tissues on
the floor next to his chair. He said
his family members and seeming-
ly everyone he meets in Minneap-
The
in
Week
Review
COVID-Infected Inmates Sue
olis can’t stop crying, either. But
he said he’s grateful for the sup-
port his family is getting from the
community, including the protest-
ers who often gather outside the
courthouse.
He was in the courtroom last
week as George Floyd’s girlfriend,
C ontinued on P age 11
leaders supporting police to seek an
addition $2 million in funding for
a uniformed police team charged
with curbing a surge in shootings
got pushback last week. Portland
City Commissioners Carmen Ru-
bio, Dan Ryan and Mingus Mapps
indicated they want to bolster com-
munity-based groups focused on
gun violence instead.
Claiming negligence by not tak-
ing proper safety precautions, de-
nying testing and mixing infected
inmates and guards, 15 inmates
who contracted COVID-19 while ‘No’ to Camping in Parks
at Multnomah County’s Inverness Portland park sites and other land
Jail, have filed a lawsuit against the zoned as open space are off the ta-
county and Sheriff Mike Reese.
ble for temporary, organized shel-
Inmate Voting Rights Restored ter camps after an outcry was heard
Washington state lawmakers voted to the proposal last week. The Port-
last week to automatically restore land City Council made the unan-
voting rights to people who have imous decision while considering
been released from prison after amendments to its Shelter to Hous-
committing felonies. Supporters ing Continuum Project.
called it a matter of racial justice, Eviction Moratorium Extended
considering the disproportionate The Biden administration Monday
impact of the criminal justice sys- moved to extend a federal mora-
tem on people of color.
torium on evictions of tenants
who have fallen behind on rent
Mascot Tied to Lynchings
The Portland School Board is tak- during the coronavirus pandemic.
ing another look at making an ev- The moratorium is now extended
ergreen tree the mascot for Ida B. through the end of June.
Wells-Barnett High School over Capitol Police Sue Trump
community concerns that the use Two Capitol Police officers filed a
of a tree for the school’s mascot civil suit last week against former
could be associated with the his- President Donald Trump for physi-
torical use of trees for lynchings. cal and emotional injuries they suf-
The evergreen tree was intended fered as a result of the Jan. 6 Capi-
to be a symbol of life for the for- tol riot. The officers quote Trump’s
mer Wilson High.
words leading up to the riot, includ-
ing Trump’s baseless claims of vot-
Gun Violence Response
Concerns about a new plan from er fraud and that Democrats were
the mayor and a group of interfaith “trying to steal” the election.