Derek Chauvin is on trial for George Floyd's death

By Melissa Macaya, Mike Hayes, Meg Wagner, Melissa Mahtani and Veronica Rocha, CNN

Updated 2314 GMT (0714 HKT) March 30, 2021
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12:38 p.m. ET, March 30, 2021

Witness: Chauvin appeared to kneel harder on Floyd's neck as crowd pleaded with him to get off

Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell
Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell Pool

Eyewitness Darnella Frazier, the teenager who took the bystander video, was asked today to describe what Derek Chauvin did in response to pleading from the crowd of bystanders that he get off George Floyd.

"He just stared at us, looked at us. He had like this cold look, heartless. He didn't care. It seemed as if he didn't care what we were saying. It didn't change anything he was doing," she said. 

Asked if it appeared to her that Chauvin kneeled harder on Floyd in response, Frazier said, "yes."

Frazier is being identified only by her first name in court, but she has been internationally recognized for her decision to record and share the video.

12:26 p.m. ET, March 30, 2021

The trial is back in session

From CNN's Eric Levenson and Aaron Cooper

The murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis officer charged in the death of George Floyd, is back in session following a short break.

The jury has heard from two witnesses today, including Darnella Frazier who was walking by the scene and shot video. The witness was not shown on camera because she was a minor when the Floyd incident occurred. Her testimony has now resumed.

"It wasn't right. He was suffering. He was in pain," she said before the trial went on break.

Earlier this morning, a professional mixed martial arts fighter who also witnessed Floyd's death testified that he called 911 after watching Chauvin's actions.

"I called the police on the police," Donald Wynn Williams II testified today. "I believed I witnessed a murder."

Williams, whose testimony began Monday afternoon and continued Tuesday morning, was the third witness in Chauvin's criminal trial. He was one of the most vocal bystanders in the widely seen video of Floyd's final moments, repeatedly pleading for Chauvin to get off Floyd and calling him a "bum" and a "tough guy."

12:24 p.m. ET, March 30, 2021

"I felt like I was in danger," 18-year-old witness says

Defense attorney Eric Nelson, left, and former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, right, listen during Chauvin's trial on March 30.
Defense attorney Eric Nelson, left, and former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, right, listen during Chauvin's trial on March 30. Court TV via AP

Darnella Frazier, an 18-year-old witness who filmed George Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, told the court she felt threatened by former police officer Derek Chauvin.

Frazier, who was 17 at the time of the incident, testified that she and her cousin were walking past the scene at Cup Foods that day and were part of the crowd who witnessed Floyd's death and the circumstances around it.

"I heard George Floyd saying — I can't breathe. Please. Get off me. I can't breathe. He cried for his mom... It seemed like he knew — seemed like he knew it was over for him," she testified.

She went on to describe how a firefighter asked Chauvin if she could check Floyd's pulse but Chauvin "remained kneeling on his neck, and she asked multiple times, not just once."

Asked why no one in the crowd did anything or tried to get close, Frazier said she felt threatened as the officers "were quick to pull out mace." 

"They put their hand on their mace. I can't remember if they actually pointed it at us but they definitely put their hand on the mace and we all backed back." 

Asked specifically if she felt threatened by Chauvin, she said:

"He seemed like – how do I word this? I felt like I was in danger when he did that. It rubbed me the wrong way. I didn't understand why they would do that, what we did for them to make us – to make them do that." 

"That's why I felt threatened. I don't understand why the mace was even needed at all," Frazier added.

 

12:02 p.m. ET, March 30, 2021

The trial is taking a short break

Judge Peter Cahill just announced the court is taking a break until 11:15 a.m. local time (12:15 p.m. ET) in the the second day of testimony in the trial of Derek Chauvin.

The jury was hearing from an 18-year-old witness who saw George Floyd's death. She's the first of at least four witnesses who will not be shown on the television broadcast because they were minors at the time of the incident.

11:57 a.m. ET, March 30, 2021

Why some witnesses will not be seen on camera

We're hearing from an 18-year-old witness right now at the murder trial of Derek Chauvin. She's the first of at least four witnesses who will not be shown on the television broadcast.

Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill said the next four witnesses will not be shown on camera because of their ages. The witnesses will appear live in court — so the jury will be able to see them.

The witnesses' names will also be redacted from the broadcast, although jury members will also hear their names in the court room.

The television broadcast shows a split screen of the the defense team and the prosecutor who is questioning the witnesses. Previous on-camera witnesses were seen in a split screen with the attorney who was asking the questions.

11:50 a.m. ET, March 30, 2021

Hearing testimony about George Floyd's death can be difficult. Here are some resources that may help.

Witness testimony continues today in the trial of former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin, who's been charged in the death of George Floyd. 

Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, died in May 2020 after Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd's neck while he pleaded, "I can't breathe."

Hearing witnesses testify and dissect second-by-second accounts of the circumstances surrounding Floyd's death can be tough.

Here are some resources that may help:

You can contact any of the organizations above to find peer groups and other group counseling services. These organizations often have affiliates in cities that host group meetings. They offer coping mechanisms to deal with stress, depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions.

It's always important to speak to someone and not feel that you're facing this alone.

You can find more CNN resources that may help here.

11:50 a.m. ET, March 30, 2021

Witness testifies that she saw George Floyd on the ground "terrified, scared, begging for his life"

Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell
Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell Pool

The next witness is an 18-year-old student. Her identity is being kept secret because she was a minor on May 25, 2020, when she witnessed George Floyd's death.

The woman testified that she and her cousin were walking past the scene at Cup Foods that day.

The prosecution played video of the witness and her cousin walking past the scene where former officer Derek Chauvin had Floyd pinned on the ground.

She said she saw, "a man terrified, scared, begging for his life"

"It wasn't right. He was suffering. He was in pain," she added. She testified that she came to know later that the man on the ground was George Floyd

Asked what she did next, the witness said, "I pulled out my phone" and began "recording, capturing what I was seeing"

She said, "I heard George Floyd saying — I can't breathe. Please. Get off me. I can't breathe. He cried for his mom... It seemed like he knew — seemed like he knew it was over for him."

She was then shown a photo of Chauvin and asked to identify him. "This is the officer that was kneeling on George Floyd's neck," she said.

Note: the judge told the jury that the next four witnesses are going to be persons who, because of their age, will not be in the video broadcast of the trial.

11:32 a.m. ET, March 30, 2021

Here's how the defense cross-examination of an eyewitness played out

Defense attorney Eric Nelson
Defense attorney Eric Nelson Pool

Defense cross-examination of eyewitness Donald Williams grew tense as Chauvin's attorney tried to get Williams to admit that he grew "angrier" at the scene that day.

Williams said that while he admits he was angry, he claims he acted "controlled" and "professional."

The defense questioned Williams about a number of statements he made to the officers during the Floyd incident that were captured on video.

Attorney: You called him a tough guy. 
Williams: I did. 
Attorney: You called him a real man. 
Williams: I did. 
Attorney: You called him such a man. 
Williams: I did. 
Attorney: You called him bogus. 
Williams: I did. 
Attorney: You called him a bum at least 13 times. 
Williams: That's what you count in the video? 
Attorney: That's what I counted. 
Williams: That's what you got, 13. 

The defense also referenced several other statements that Williams can be heard on video directing at police, including some that contained profanity. The witness admitted to making the comments on the stand.

Later in the questioning, Chauvin's attorney asked Williams about a statement he made during a 911 call where, according to the defense, he had told one of the officers at the scene he was "hoping he would shoot himself." 

"I didn't say I hope he's going to shoot himself," Williams clarified. "I said within the next two years, you will shoot yourself in your head for what you did." 

Williams continued: "I didn't say hope. I don't hope death on anyone. The bible doesn't allow that." 

10:43 a.m. ET, March 30, 2021

Witness: I called 911 "because I believe I witnessed a murder"

Pool
Pool

Donald Wynn Williams II, an eyewitness at the scene of the incident, testified today that after George Floyd was put into an ambulance he called 911 because "I believe I witnessed a murder."

"I felt the need to call the police on the police," Williams continued.

Asked why he didn't speak to the officers already on the scene, Williams said, he felt they were involved in the incident.

Williams' 911 call from that day was played for the jury.

On tape, Williams can be heard telling the 911 operator that an officer "is trying to kill this citizens" in front of the Cup Foods store.

"He had his knee on the dude's neck the whole time," Williams said.

He told the 911 operator that Floyd "stopped breathing," adding "he wasn't resisting arrest or nothing. He was in handcuffs."

"I don't know if he is dead for sure. But he was non-responsive when the ambulance came and got him," Williams said.

Williams appeared to become emotional on the witness stand as the tape played, at one point picking up a tissue to wipe his eyes.