Six bystanders testified Tuesday in the Derek Chauvin murder trial, sharing how witnessing the former officer’s knee on George Floyd’s neck continues to traumatize them.
As the state called more witnesses Wednesday, that theme continued with another heavy day of testimony.
To begin Wednesday, the third day of testimony, the convenience store cashier who sold cigarettes to Floyd testified he was handed a counterfeit $20 bill. Christopher Martin, 19, said he immediately believed the $20 bill was fake but took it, even though store policy was to deduct such amounts from a cashier's paycheck.
Defense attorney Eric Nelson on cross examination asked Martin about how he knew it was a fake.
"You made a decision after Mr. Floyd handed you a $20 bill, that you weren't going to call him out on it," said Nelson.
"Correct", said Martin.
"Was that in part because you felt maybe he is under the influence?"
"Partially," said Martin. "Partially because the other person that had come in seemed like he was trying to pull a scheme, like he knew it was a fake bill and he was trying to get over. I thought that George didn't really know that it was a fake bill."
Martin testified that he told his manager about the bill, and the manager told him to go out and talk to Floyd and get him to come back into the store to deal with the matter, but Floyd refused. That's when Martin’s co-worker in the store called 911.
After watching the arrest of George Floyd, prosecuting attorney Matthew Frank asked Martin to describe why his hands were on top of his head shortly after witnessing the interaction between Chauvin and Floyd.
"What was going through your mind?” Frank asked.
"Disbelief and guilt, "Martin responded.
"Why guilt?" Frank asked.
“Because if I would have just not taken the bill, this could have been avoided."
Martin has since moved from the area because he said it's too dangerous.
From Martin to a bystander breaking down on the stand. The jury was not only able to see those reactions, but also more disturbing video of the encounter — including the police bodyworn videos of all four officers back-to-back-to-back showing the moment former officer Thomas Lane draws his gun on Floyd at the outset, to Floyd being taken into the ambulance.
The footage of officers struggling to get Floyd into the back of the squad was first shown. On the stand was 61-year-old Charles McMillian —the earliest bystander.
When Floyd calls for his mama on the ground, McMillian bowed his head and then wept.
“I feel helpless,” he said. I don’t have a mother either, I understand him.”
The court took an unplanned 20 minute break for him to compose himself.
Chauvin’s body camera video showed McMillian confronting the officer after the ambulance left.
“I think I said to him, ‘Five days ago I told you to go home to your family safe, that the next person goes back to their family safe, but now I look at you as a maggot,” McMillian said.
Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson declined to cross examine McMillian.
When the first of the body camera footage played, three jurors did not look at some parts. Floyd’s youngest brother, Rodney Floyd, who was in the one courtroom seat reserved for Floyd family members due to the pandemic, did not watch when Floyd was struggling with police, staring down with his eyes wide. At another point Rodney Floyd held his hands looking down and shaking his head, refusing to watch, according to the pool reporter.
In the body camera video jurors saw two passengers with Floyd. One of them, Morries Hall, who the Cup Foods clerk said believed used a counterfeit bill, plans to plead the 5th, according to court documents Wednesday