Members of George Floyd's family, Rev. Al Sharpton and attorney Benjamin Crump will take a knee outside the courthouse for eight minutes and 46 seconds before entering the building for the beginning of Derek Chauvin's trial Monday, Rev. Sharpton said during a news conference Sunday night.
CNN has previously reported that while the original criminal complaint in the case says Chauvin kneeled on Floyd's neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the Hennepin County Attorney's office told CNN it was actually seven minutes and 46 seconds.
Sharpton said they will do it "to show the world how long it took for Chauvin to have his knee on that neck."
He said that the family is preparing to hear Chauvin's defense team smear Floyd's name and try to discredit him during the trial.
"This family will go through a very painful and very tumultuous few weeks," Sharpton said. "It's not only bad enough that they had to lose their brother, their loved one but they now have to, in front of the world, see this over and over again"
Sharpton said he hopes prosecutors will hold Chauvin accountable to set precedent for future cases as so many similar cases never saw justice, including that of Rodney King, Eric Garner and Michael Brown.
"It's not just Chauvin on trial. The United States’ ability to deal with police accountability is on trial. Many cases didn't even get to court," Sharpton explained. "We have at least gotten this to court. Now we want the court to show, is America prepared to hold police accountable and make them pay when they are wrong?"
"If we can't see justice in this case, what will it take?" He added "We've seen killings since George Floyd which is why we will keep on fighting."
Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother, thanked the protesters who have stood up for justice for his brother.
"I have faith that he will get convicted," Philonise Floyd said during the press conference, adding that the video seen around the world "is the proof."