MINNEAPOLIS— George Floyd’s girlfriend of several years, Courteney Ross, battled tears Thursday morning as she testified in court about her relationship with Mr. Floyd, including their struggles with opioid addiction.
“It’s something we dealt with every day. It’s not something that comes and goes,” said Ms. Ross, who wore a necklace that spelled Floyd. She said she last saw Mr. Floyd the day before he died in an altercation with Minneapolis police, including former officer Derek Chauvin, who is on trial for murder after restraining Mr. Floyd by holding a knee to his neck for more than nine minutes.
During cross examination, Eric Nelson, the attorney for Mr. Chauvin, asked if Morries Hall, who was in the car on May 25 when Mr. Floyd was arrested, had previously sold drugs to Mr. Floyd. Ms. Ross said she believed he did, but had never witnessed the transactions. On Wednesday, a lawyer for Mr. Hall indicated in a court filing that he planned to invoke his “fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination” if called to testify.
Neither Mr. Hall nor his lawyer responded to a request for comment. It was unclear if the other passenger from the SUV, Shawanda Hill, would be called to testify. She is listed on the state’s prospective witness list.
Mr. Nelson also sought to establish that Mr. Floyd had been hospitalized from drug overdose once the month before his death. When questioned by the prosecution following Mr. Nelson’s examination, Ms. Ross said Mr. Floyd’s previous overdose had not led to any permanent impairment.
The Hennepin County medical examiner has ruled that Mr. Floyd’s death was a homicide. But the defense has argued that his death was caused by a combination of a heart condition and drugs he took on the day of his arrest.
Ms. Ross described Mr. Floyd as a gentle man who loved to work out and play sports despite chronic pain in his neck, shoulder and back. She also talked about his devastation over his mother’s death and his battle with Covid-19.
The emotional testimony followed a day when the jury was barraged with video, including body camera footage showing Mr. Floyd struggling to avoid entering a police squad car and the 9 minutes and 29 seconds when Mr. Chauvin knelt on his neck.
The video also included never before broadcast footage of Mr. Chauvin defending his actions to a bystander and shots of Mr. Floyd inside Cup Foods, where he appeared to sway slightly, joked with other customers and used what clerks believed was a counterfeit $20 bill to pay for a pack of cigarettes.
Mr. Chauvin, 45 years old, has been charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. He has pleaded not guilty. Three other officers charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder are expected to face trial in August.
Write to Joe Barrett at joseph.barrett@wsj.com
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George Floyd’s Girlfriend Recounts His Struggles With Addiction - The Wall Street Journal
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