(Reuters) – As the world follows the often-emotional testimony in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer accused of murdering George Floyd, members of Floyd’s family watch a live feed in a separate room in the courthouse.
Frequently by their side is civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, who heads the family’s legal team.
Floyd and his brothers often slept in the same bed as children, with Floyd playing the role of protector, Crump says.
“For us, it’s a case. It’s a cause. It’s a hashtag,” Crump told Reuters. “For them … it’s their family. This is their blood.”
Floyd, a 46-year-old African American, died after Chauvin, who is white, kneeled on his neck for more than nine minutes. His death, captured on bystander video, sparked worldwide protests over racism and police brutality.
Chauvin, who faces up to 40 years in prison on murder and manslaughter charges, has pleaded not guilty.
The case is familiar terrain for Crump, who is frequently called upon to represent the families of slain African Americans in civil lawsuits, including Trayvon Martin, a teen shot dead in 2013 by a neighborhood watchman, and Breonna…
