George Floyd’s brother sheds tears on the stand
In this image from video, Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill discusses motions before the court Monday, April 12, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. (POOL)
MINNEAPOLIS — George Floyd’s brother shed tears on the witness stand Monday as he was shown a picture of his late mother and a young George.
“That’s my oldest brother George. I miss both of them,” 39-year-old Philonise Floyd said at the murder trial of former Officer Derek Chauvin, accused of killing Floyd by putting his knee on the Black man’s neck during an arrest last May.
Philonise Floyd described growing up in a poor area of Houston with George and their other siblings.
“He used to make the best banana mayonnaise sandwiches. And he used to make the best syrup sandwiches because George couldn’t cook, he couldn’t boil water,” he said.
He said that as a child, George used to mark his height on the wall, because he loved sports and wanted to grow taller.
Philonise Floyd took the stand as part of an effort by prosecutors to humanize his brother in front of the jury and make him more than a crime statistic.