When George Floyd was killed on May 25, 2020, millions of people were completely devastated. People all over the world marched in support of justice for George Floyd. Now that the trials have ended, everyone is looking back on this tragic event.

   From March 8 through March 23, 2021, the jurors for the case were selected. On March 29, the trial started to heat up. The next few days of the trial, eyewitnesses to Floyd’s murder recounted what happened on the day of his death. Key witnesses to Floyd’s murder recounted how they were a key part of the trial. One witness was Donald Williams, a security guard who was heard on the video of the Floyd arrest calling cops “murderers.”

   “I did call the police on the police,” said Williams. “I believe I witnessed a murder. I felt the need to call the police on the police.” He said that he watched Floyd’s life, “…fade away, like a fish in a bag.”

   Another witness was Charles McMillian, who was an eyewitness to Floyd’s murder.

   “…what I watched was wrong,” said McMillian. He also confronted Chauvin right after he killed Floyd saying, “Five days ago I told you at the end of the day go home to your family safe, and that the next person go home to their family safe, but today I gotta look at you as a maggot.”

   An impactful testimony was from police chief Medaria Arradondo:

   “It’s not part of our training and it’s certainly not part of our ethics or values,” said Arradondo. “…clearly when Mr Floyd was no longer responsive and even motionless, to continue to apply that level of force to a person prone out, hands cuffed behind their back – that in no way, shape or form is anything that is by policy.”

   The trial went on for one month and ended with a guilty verdict for Chauvin. Despite this, his attorney Eric Nelson has recently come forward saying that he wants a second trial.

   “The publicity here was so pervasive and so prejudicial before and during this trial that it amounted to a structural defect in the proceedings,” said Nelson in a statement.

   Watch the video to hear reactions and commentary on the Derek Chauvin trial by the following teachers and students (in order of appearance): Mr. Grant Mason, social studies teacher; Shaila Bonnett, sophomore; Ms. Susan Callaway, English teacher; Brooklyn Pierre, sophomore; Ms. Jessica Bell, English teacher.