George Floyd’s Brother, Philonise Floyd, Takes The Stand With Moving Testimony

The prosecution’s case against former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin called their final witnesses on Monday. Among the witnesses was Philonise Floyd, George Floyd’s brother.

Philonise Floyd’s testimony is one of several that focused on humanizing the elder Floyd, making the infamous video where Chauvin presses his knee in to his neck even more chilling.

Philonise teared up on the stand while showing pictures of his deceased mother and older brother saying, “I miss them both.” Philonise grew up with his brother in Houston. “He used to make the best banana mayonnaise sandwiches. And he used to make the best syrup sandwiches because George couldn’t cook, he couldn’t boil water,” he said.

Chauvin’s defense petitioned that same day to sequester the jury, as protests had once again consumed Minneapolis in the wake of another police killing of a black man. “Ultimately, your honor, the question becomes: Will the jury be competent to make a decision regardless of the potential outcome of their decision?” said Eric Nelson, one of Chauvin’s lawyers.

Judge Peter Cahill denied the defense’s request, as well as another request to ask jurors what they knew about Sunday’s new police shooting in nearby Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.