He was a big momma’s boy, says Floyd’s brother
MINNEAPOLIS: Prosecutors neared the end of their case in the murder trial of former Minneapolis policeman Derek Chauvin, calling George Floyd’s younger brother to the stand for emotional testimony about how his sibling grew up obsessed with basketball and doting on his mother.
“He was a big momma’s boy,” Philonise Floyd said on Monday after jurors looked at a picture of his older brother in his mother’s arms while Chauvin sat across the courtroom, writing notes on a yellow legal pad with his head down.
Philonise , who at one point broke down in tears, was among the final witnesses called by the state. Chauvin’s lawyers will now mount his defence, with closing statements expected next Monday.
Chauvin has pleaded not guilty to murder and manslaughter charges, arguing he was following the training he had received during his 19 years on the force.
Philonise’s testimony served as a bookend to a string of eyewitnesses the prosecution called in the first days of the two-week-old trial.
From a nine-year-old girl to a 61-year-old man, the witnesses described their despair and horror as they watched George, a 46-yearold Black man, plead for his life while pinned by the neck to the ground by the white officer’s knee for more than nine minutes.
Sandwiched between them and Philonise was a series of police experts, including the Minneapolis police chief himself, called by prosecutors from the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office to testify that Chauvin used excessive force in subduing George.
Seven doctors with different medical specialties told the jury it was Chauvin’s actions that killed Floyd, not a drug overdose, as the defence has contended.
Floyd’s brother was called under a Minnesota doctrine that allows loved ones of a crime victim to address the jury in what is called “spark of life” testimony.
Philonise told the jurors about family life when the two brothers were boys, adding that his brother was thoughtful as a youngster.
“George couldn’t cook, he couldn’t boil water,” the brother said, but could nonetheless make “the best banana mayonnaise sandwiches” if he thought others were hungry.
George doted on his mother most of all, his brother said.
“He would always be up on our mum. He was a big momma’s boy,” he told jurors.