Editor's note: This is part two of a two-part series that involves interviews The Pine Bluff Commercial conducted via Zoom with members of George Floyd's family after the conviction of Derek Chauvin.
The George Floyd protest movement began hours after his murder on May 25, 2020, by former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin and triggered a worldwide debate on police brutality and racial injustice, a debate that spread nationwide in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Protesters and Floyd's family demanded that all four officers at the scene of Floyd's death be charged with murder and that judicial consequences be swift.
"I was in Minneapolis when the uprising took place and the community, we just ran to that place because we were trying to protect the area where he was killed," said Angela Harrelson, Floyd's aunt. "We didn't want Perry's site to be burned down." Perry is what Floyd's family called him.
Harrelson said the Minneapolis community barricaded both ends of the intersection where Floyd was killed to keep it from being destroyed during the protests.
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Most of the protests were peaceful, but Harrelson said some did get out of hand, escalating to riots, looting and police encounters.
"They just went crazy," Harrelson said. "I was afraid to drive through to go to work."
Paris Stevens, a registered nurse and Floyd's cousin, joined in the protests.
"Enough is enough," said Stevens, who added that she had encouraged peaceful protesting. "We're walking peacefully trying to conform just to stay alive, but you see the instances now with Perry. He conformed, he was handcuffed, he didn't do anything excessively wrong or fight back, and he still was killed."
Solidarity protests over Floyd's death spread worldwide leading up to Chauvin's arrest on May 29, making him the first white police officer in Minnesota to be charged in the death of an African-American civilian.
"We got a chance to see the love that poured all around the world," Harrelson said. "We couldn't speak their language, but they were protesting in their language. They had the name that we understood. George Floyd, say his name, George Floyd."
On March 29, 2021, Floyd's family listened to opening statements from the prosecution and the defense in Chauvin's trial, which was televised on national media.
Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell started opening statements, saying "Mr. Chauvin betrayed his badge." Defense attorney Eric Nelson said "Chauvin did exactly what he had been trained to do."
Day after day the family listened to testimony from 38 witnesses, some of whom said things that were hard for the family to hear.
"My goal was I was going to be strong and go to the courthouse every single day as much as I can," Harrelson said. "When the testimonies kept going after one another, I was so overwhelmed and drenched. After the third day of watching, I told my family, 'I need a break, I can't do it. I just cannot do it.'"
Harrelson became emotional when she saw video footage of her nephew inside a store smiling, talking and dancing around in a way that was special to him.
"That's Perry. He always clowned like that, but then something kicked in," Harrelson said." He has no idea that's going to be the last dance he is going to be dancing. That's going to be the last time he's going to walk out that door."
Darnella Frazier, who was 17 when she captured the video of Floyd's arrest and murder, testified off camera during Chauvin's murder trial. Family members said they felt that had it not been for the video, Floyd would have been just another Black man killed by police.
"To be put in a situation where you are seeing a modern-day lynching right in front of your eyes and for Darnella to be brave and to record that whole incident ... it's remarkable how she could withstand holding that camera for over 9 minutes and 29 seconds," said Stevens, who added that she was thankful for the people who stayed at the scene and witnessed her cousin's murder. "We saw it on TV and that was hard enough, but to be there in the presence to see it and know that you are helpless and you want to do something more but you don't know what else could happen so you're scared, they felt guilty."
Laura Stevens, Paris Stevens' mother and another of Floyd's aunt, said the videotape supported each person's testimony, unlike the initial police report released before the video.
"All of the witnesses there were so powerful because when they were talking, we saw it," said Laura Stevens. "Three policemen watched him (Chauvin) commit the act and didn't do anything, and they're on the video."
Paris Stevens said that when the video was released, it was an "aha" moment that exposed the truth.
"They are supposed to be taking care of the people, but you see that it just doesn't happen," she said. "I was extremely relieved that Darnella had this video, and it clearly showed what exactly happened. We didn't need witnesses or a prosecution to see this was a lynching."
The defense began its case April 13, with two days of testimony from seven witnesses, and ended April 15.
Harrelson said it was frustrating waiting for the verdict.
"I was on pins and needles because I didn't know which way it was going to go because historically, especially in Minnesota, there has never been a white police office convicted when a Black man was killed," Harrelson said. "I was like, 'my God, I hope the jury can see,' but that seed of doubt was there."
On April 20, the jury reached a verdict after 10 hours of deliberation, finding Chauvin guilty of all three charges against him: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
"It was a good day. I was walking like wow we did something," Harrelson said. "It is justice for Perry."
Laura Stevens said she forgave Chauvin and her heart goes out to his family.
Paris Stevens said she believes the guilty verdict is a turning point and a lesson for all law enforcement officials.
"Families are going to seek justice," said Paris Stevens. She is in strong support of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which would prohibit racial profiling at every level of law enforcement; ban chokeholds, carotid holds and no-knock warrants; institute a national police misconduct registry; and overhaul legal protections for law enforcement officials, known as qualified immunity.
"Our skin is weaponized, and it's been like that for well over 400 years," Paris Stevens said, adding that the Black race has to condition its children so they can go home alive after a police encounter. "If you are of color, you are treated differently, just on the approach. That's something that has to change. This guilty verdict vindicated what we've been saying."
She said the policing act would open the door for every industry to look at its policies and procedures.
"The whole world is behind what happened, and when they pass this, a change is going to come. His daughter said George Floyd changed the world. He did change the world. It's how he gave his life," she said.
The family said that now that systemic racism has been acknowledged, it's time for everyone to embrace cultures different from their own, come together and not be afraid to speak up for what is right.
"On an individual basis you make a difference, so don't think being silent is what you're supposed to do," said Paris Stevens. "You can make a difference. Any person in any community. It doesn't matter if you have a population of 50. You are the difference."
"Speak out and let the people know," she added. "This is what George Floyd would have wanted. We have to continue the fight."
