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MMA fighter who watched George Floyd's death gives emotional testimony at Chauvin trial: 'I witnessed a murder'

The second day of Derek Chauvin’s trial began with emotional testimony from a bystander who said he called police on the now-former Minneapolis officer who was kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes because he believed he had “witnessed a murder.”

Under questioning from the prosecution, Donald Williams, a student of martial arts, testified that he was scared for his own safety as he pleaded with Chauvin to take his knee off of Floyd’s neck — and that he called 911 after Chauvin did not respond to him.

“I did call the police on the police,” Williams said. “Because I believe I witnessed a murder.”

Williams teared up as an audiotape of his 911 call was played in court. He can be heard on the call telling a dispatcher that an officer “pretty much just killed this guy that wasn’t resisting arrest. He had his knee on the dude’s neck this whole time.”

When asked why he made the call, Williams said he “just felt like that was the right thing to do.”

Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, had a tense exchange with Williams, during which Nelson asked him about his insults toward the officers during the incident. Williams seemed to reject Nelson’s attempts to portray him as an antagonistic bystander.

“You called [Chauvin] a tough guy, right?” Nelson asked. “You called him a bum at least 13 times.” Williams agreed to making those remarks, but said he remained controlled during the encounter.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s May 25, 2020, death.

The trial opened Monday with prosecutors playing a nine-minute, 29-second video taken by a bystander of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Floyd can be heard saying “I can’t breathe” 27 times as onlookers, including Williams, begged Chauvin to stop.

“Nine-two-nine,” prosecutor Jerry Blackwell told jurors during his opening statement. “The three most important numbers in the case.”

Donald Williams wipes away tears as he testifies in the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis on Tuesday. (Via Reuters Video)
Donald Williams wipes away tears as he testifies in Derek Chauvin's trial in Minneapolis on Tuesday. (Via Reuters Video)

Chauvin’s defense team argued that Floyd, who was suspected of using a counterfeit $20 bill to buy cigarettes, was under the influence of narcotics and would not comply with Chauvin and other officers at the scene, who struggled to restrain him.

“Common sense tells you that there are always two sides to a story,” defense attorney Nelson said. “The evidence is far greater than nine minutes and 29 seconds.”

Monday also featured testimony from Jena Scurry, a 911 dispatcher who became concerned as she watched live security camera footage of the scene and called a police sergeant to report a possible misuse of force.

On the call, Scurry told the sergeant that she didn’t “want to be a snitch” before proceeding to describe the officers who had Floyd pinned to the ground.

Scurry also testified that as she watched Floyd lying motionless, she thought the video footage had frozen.

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