Darnella Frazier

Last updated

Darnella Frazier
Born (2003-03-23) March 23, 2003 (age 20)
Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
Education Roosevelt High School
Known for
Relatives Leneal Frazier (uncle)

Darnella Frazier (born March 23, 2003) is an American woman who recorded the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, posting her video on Facebook and Instagram. The video undermined the initial account of Floyd's death by the Minneapolis Police Department, [1] and served as evidence leading to criminal charges against four police officers. Frazier testified during the trial, which ended with the conviction of Derek Chauvin on murder charges, and the convictions of the other three officers on manslaughter. She received a special award and citation from the Pulitzer Prize board in 2021.

Contents

Early life

Darnella Frazier was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, [2] and attended Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis. She has several siblings. [3] Described by her lawyer as a normal teenager "with a boyfriend and a job at the mall," Frazier was a high school junior at the time of Floyd's murder. [4]

Video of George Floyd

Murder of George Floyd

Cup Foods in Minneapolis the day after Floyd's murder, May 26, 2020 Protesters along and around 38th Street in Minneapolis on Tuesday after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, 08.jpg
Cup Foods in Minneapolis the day after Floyd's murder, May 26, 2020

On May 25, 2020, Frazier walked to the Cup Foods grocery store with her nine-year-old cousin, who wanted to buy snacks. [5] Before they could enter the store, they saw the police restraining George Floyd on the pavement. Frazier sent her cousin into the store and then began filming the encounter with her phone. [6] Twenty seconds after she started filming, Floyd said "I can't breathe", which was repeated by protesters worldwide on the days and weeks that followed. [6] The video showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck until he died, and records Floyd's distressed comments, such as, "My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. I need some water or something, please. Please," and "They're going to kill me, man," and then, "Don't kill me." [7] He called out for his "Mama" and said, "I'm through". [7] Her video lasted ten minutes and nine seconds, until Floyd's lifeless body was carried away on a stretcher. [6]

George Floyd video and protests

Street art of Floyd and the words "I can't breathe" in Berlin, Germany Wandbild Portrait George Floyd von Eme Street Art im Mauerpark (Berlin).jpg
Street art of Floyd and the words "I can't breathe" in Berlin, Germany

At 1:46 a.m. on May 26, Frazier posted her video to Facebook and Instagram, adding the caption: "They killed him right in front of cup foods over south on 38th and Chicago!! No type of sympathy </3 </3 #POLICEBRUTALITY." [8] Her video quickly went viral. When the Minneapolis Police Department issued a misleading statement about Floyd's murder called "Man Dies After Medical Incident During Police Interaction," Frazier responded at 3:10 a.m., saying "Medical incident??? Watch outtt they killed him and the proof is clearlyyyy there!!" [8]

In a statement released by her lawyer, Frazier said, "I opened my phone and I started recording because I knew if I didn't, no one would believe me". [9]

Frazier returned to the scene of the murder the following day, where she was seen crying and hugging protesters. She said, "I posted the video last night and it just went viral," and went on to say, "Everybody's asking me how do I feel? I don't know how to feel, 'cause it's so sad, bro. This man was literally right here at 8:00 pm yesterday. I was walking my cousin to the store, and I just see him on the ground and I'm like 'What is going on?'" [10] She ended her remarks by saying, "It is so traumatizing." [10]

In the weeks that followed, Frazier's video helped spark large protests in hundreds of U.S. cities and in dozens of other countries. Although the majority of the protests were peaceful events, rioting and looting took place in some cities including Minneapolis. As many as 15 million to 25 million people may have participated in the protests. [11] Daniel Q. Gillion, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, called Frazier's video a "powerful catalyst" for the protests, adding "If you aren't moved by the George Floyd video, you have nothing in you". [11]

Trial of Derek Chauvin

Frazier's video was among the most important pieces of evidence in Chauvin's murder trial. She testified and said "It's been nights I stayed up apologizing and apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more and not physically interacting and not saving his life". [12] She also said that "When I look at George Floyd, I look at my dad, I look at my brothers, I look at my cousins, my uncles, because they're all Black," adding, "I have a Black father. I have a Black brother. I have Black friends," concluding, "I look at how that could have been one of them." [12]

When Chauvin was convicted, analysts agreed that her video and testimony were important to the outcome and had "helped shatter that narrative", referring to the misleading statements initially made by police officials. [13] Frazier celebrated Chauvin's conviction on Facebook and Instagram, writing, "This last hour my heart was beating so fast, I was so anxious, anxiety bussing through the roof. But to know GUILTY ON ALL 3 CHARGES !!! THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU," concluding with another statement "justice has been served". [14]

First anniversary

On the first anniversary of Floyd's murder, Frazier issued an extended statement on Facebook and Instagram. She described the trauma of seeing Floyd's murder, and how her life and that of her cousin had changed. She criticized the racial profiling and police brutality that too often victimize Black people. She discussed weeks of sleep problems and moving from hotel to hotel to avoid unwanted attention, and the anxiety she felt when she sees a police car. She thanked her mother for her support, and expressed pride that her video had helped bring justice in the Floyd murder case, while expressing regret that she had been powerless to save him. She concluded by speaking directly to Floyd: "I can't express enough how I wish things could have went different, but I want you to know you will always be in my heart. I'll always remember this day because of you. May your soul rest in peace. May you rest in the most beautiful roses." [15]

Trial of J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao

In February 2022, Frazier was called to testify at the federal civil rights trial of the three other officers involved in Floyd's murder. Shortly after questioning began, Frazier became upset and was unable to continue, causing the judge to call a short recess. She completed her testimony after the recess. [16]

Awards and acclaim

In December 2020, free speech advocacy group PEN America presented Frazier with its Benenson Courage Award. Director Spike Lee gave the award in a virtual ceremony. The group's CEO Suzanne Nossel said "With nothing more than a cell phone and sheer guts, Darnella changed the course of history in this country, sparking a bold movement demanding an end to systemic anti-Black racism and violence at the hands of police," adding, "Without Darnella's presence of mind and readiness to risk her own safety and wellbeing, we may never have known the truth about George Floyd's murder." [17]

On December 31, 2020, the Daily Dot said, referring to the day of Floyd's murder, "On that day, Frazier became both a citizen journalist and an activist. She also became an American hero, and for that reason, she's the Daily Dot's Internet Person of the Year." [18]

Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, thanked Frazier, saying, "Taking that video, I think many folks know, is maybe the only reason that Derek Chauvin will go to prison". [19]

Pete Souza, who served as White House photographer during the Obama administration, wrote that Frazier "demonstrated courage and perseverance in filming what she knew was wrong," adding that "This verdict does not happen without her," and "Thank you Darnella; you have changed our country forever." [14]

Roy Peter Clark, who has served as a Pulitzer Prize juror four times, recommended Frazier for a Pulitzer Prize in May 2021. He wrote, "Darnella Frazier's work lives in that tradition. Her excruciating video had a social and ethical purpose, one that aligns with journalistic values: To give voice to the voiceless, to speak truth to power, to reveal secrets that the corrupt seek to hide, to stand strong in a moment of personal peril, and to document a fleeting reality that is fraught with meaning." [20] On June 11, 2021, the Pulitzer Prize board issued Frazier a special award and citation, for, "courageously reporting the murder of George Floyd, a video that spurred protests against police brutality around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists' quest for truth and justice." [21]

Personal life

Frazier's uncle, Leneal Frazier, was killed when a Minneapolis Police Department squad vehicle crashed into his vehicle during high-speed car chase pursuit of a carjacking suspect in the Camden area of Minneapolis on July 6, 2021, at 12:30 a.m. Leneal Frazier was uninvolved in the police pursuit. [22] [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards</span> Special category of Pulitzer Prize

The Pulitzer Prize jury has the option of awarding special citations and awards where they consider necessary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roosevelt High School (Minnesota)</span> High school in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Roosevelt High School is a public school located in the Standish neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. A part of the Minneapolis Public Schools, it is named after 26th United States President Theodore Roosevelt. Athletic and other competition teams from the school are nicknamed the Teddies. Roosevelt has been an International Baccalaureate World School since March 2010, and offers the Diploma Programme as well as the IB Career-related Certificate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minneapolis Police Department</span> Minnesota, United States law enforcement agency

The Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) is the primary law enforcement agency in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. It is also the largest police department in Minnesota. Formed in 1867, it is the second-oldest police department in Minnesota, after the Saint Paul Police Department that formed in 1854. A short-lived Board of Police Commissioners existed from 1887 to 1890.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of George Floyd</span> 2020 police murder in Minneapolis, U.S.

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a 46-year-old black American man, was murdered in Minneapolis by Derek Chauvin, a 44-year-old white police officer. Floyd had been arrested after a store clerk alleged that he made a purchase using a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face-down in a street. Two other police officers, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, assisted Chauvin in restraining Floyd. Lane had also pointed a gun at Floyd's head before Floyd was handcuffed. A fourth police officer, Tou Thao, prevented bystanders from intervening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derek Chauvin</span> American murderer and former police officer (born 1976)

Derek Michael Chauvin is a former police officer who murdered George Floyd, a 46-year-old African-American man, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. On May 25, 2020, Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while Floyd was handcuffed and lying face down on the street, calling out "I can't breathe", during an arrest made with three other officers. Chauvin was dismissed by the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) on May 26 and arrested on May 29. The murder set off a series of protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul and across the rest of the United States, later spreading around the world.

A variety of people and organizations reacted to the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, during an arrest by Minneapolis police. This includes his family and friends, politicians and other political organizations, the police, and other institutions and businesses, including internationally. This is aside from the George Floyd protests.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests</span> 2020–2023 police brutality protests

The George Floyd protests were a series of police brutality protests that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020. The civil unrest and protests began as part of international reactions to the murder of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, during an arrest. Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis Police Department officer, knelt on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds as three other officers looked on and prevented passers-by from intervening. Chauvin and the other three officers involved were later arrested. In April 2021, Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. In June 2021, Chauvin was sentenced to 22+1⁄2 years in prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd</span> Black man murdered by a policeman

George Perry Floyd Jr. was an African-American man who was murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during an arrest made after a store clerk suspected Floyd may have used a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill, on May 25, 2020. Derek Chauvin, one of the four police officers who arrived on the scene, knelt on Floyd's neck and back for 9 minutes and 29 seconds which caused a lack of oxygen. After his murder, protests against police brutality, especially towards black people, quickly spread across the United States and globally. His dying words, "I can't breathe", became a rallying slogan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I can't breathe</span> Human rights slogan

"I can't breathe" is a slogan associated with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. The phrase originates from the last words of Eric Garner, an unarmed man who was killed in 2014 after being put in a chokehold by a New York City Police Officer. A number of other Black Americans, such as Javier Ambler, Manuel Ellis, Elijah McClain, and George Floyd, have said the same phrase prior to dying during similar law-enforcement encounters. According to a 2020 report by The New York Times, the phrase has been used by over 70 people who died in police custody.

8 minutes 46 seconds (8:46) is a symbol of police brutality that originated from the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Derek Chauvin, a police officer, knelt on Floyd's neck, asphyxiating him. The duration that Chauvin spent kneeling was reported for weeks as 8 minutes 46 seconds, and later as 7 minutes 46 seconds, until body camera footage released in August 2020 showed that the actual time was 9 minutes 29 seconds. In the days following his murder, and the protests that followed, the duration became a focus of commemorations and debates, especially around Blackout Tuesday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd protests in Minneapolis–Saint Paul</span> Over murder of unarmed black man

Local protests over the murder of George Floyd, sometimes called the Minneapolis riots or Minneapolis uprising, began on May 26, 2020, and within a few days had inspired a global protest movement against police brutality and racial inequality. The initial events were a reaction to a video filmed the day before and circulated widely in the media of police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes and 29 seconds while Floyd struggled to breathe, begged for help, lost consciousness, and died. Public outrage over the content of the video gave way to widespread civil disorder in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and other cities in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area over the five-day period of May 26 to 30 after Floyd's murder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States racial unrest (2020–present)</span> Mass civil unrest driven by police brutality

A wave of civil unrest in the United States, initially triggered by the murder of George Floyd during his arrest by Minneapolis police officers on May 25, 2020, led to protests and riots against systemic racism in the United States, such as in the form of police violence and other forms of violence. Since then, numerous other incidents of police brutality have drawn continued attention and unrest in various parts of the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd Square occupied protest</span> Civil conflict at the location of George Floyds murder

As a reaction to the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, racial justice activists and some residents of the Powderhorn community in Minneapolis staged an occupation protest at the intersection of East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue with a blockade of the streetway lasting over a year. The street intersection is where Derek Chauvin, a White police officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, murdered George Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old Black man. Activists erected barricades to block vehicular traffic and transformed the street intersection and surrounding structures with amenities, social services, and public art of Floyd and that of other racial justice themes. The community referred to the unofficial memorial and protest zone at the street intersection as "George Floyd Square". The controversial street occupation in 2020 and 2021 was described as an “autonomous” zone and a "no-go" place for police, but local officials disputed the extent of such characterizations.

State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin was an American criminal case in the District Court of Minnesota in 2021. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was tried and convicted for the murder of George Floyd, which occurred during an arrest on May 25, 2020, and led to global protests over racial injustice and police brutality. A 12-member jury found Chauvin guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. It was the first conviction of a white police officer in Minnesota for the murder of a black person.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Pulitzer Prize</span> 2021 awards in American journalism and other fields

The 2021 Pulitzer Prizes were awarded by the Pulitzer Prize Board for work during the 2020 calendar year on June 11, 2021. The awards highlighted coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest, and other major stories in the U.S. that year. Several publications, including The Atlantic and BuzzFeed News, received their first Pulitzers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Protests in Minneapolis regarding the trial of Derek Chauvin</span> Local civil unrest in Minneapolis–Saint Paul

In 2020 and 2021, several protests were held in the U.S. city of Minneapolis that coincided with judicial proceedings and the criminal trial of Derek Chauvin. As an officer with the Minneapolis Police Department, Chauvin was charged with the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man who died during an arrest incident on May 25, 2020. A bystander's video captured Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes while Floyd struggled to breathe, lost consciousness, and died. Protesters opposed Chauvin's pre-trial release from jail on bail in October 2020. In the lead up to and during the criminal trial in early 2021, demonstrators sought conviction and maximum sentencing for Chauvin, and the enactment of police reform measures.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Floyd Square</span> Street in Minneapolis

George Floyd Square, officially George Perry Floyd Square, is the commemorative street name for the section of Chicago Avenue in the U.S. city of Minneapolis from East 37th Street to East 39th Street. It is named after George Floyd, a Black man who was murdered there by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin on May 25, 2020. The streetway and memorial site is centered at the 38th and Chicago intersection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020–2023 Minneapolis–Saint Paul racial unrest</span> Series of protests and riots in the U.S. state of Minnesota

In the early 2020s, the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area in U.S. state of Minnesota experienced a wave of civil unrest, comprising peaceful demonstrations and riots, against systemic racism toward black Americans, notably in the form of police violence. A number of events occurred, beginning soon after the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, by a white Minneapolis police officer on May 25, 2020. National Public Radio characterized the events as cultural reckoning on topics of racial injustice.

Leneal Frazier was a 40-year-old African American man who was killed in Minneapolis at about 12:30 a.m. on July 6, 2021, in a car crash with officer Brian Cummings of the Minneapolis Police Department. That night, Cummings was pursuing suspected thieves in a vehicle at a high rate of speed through a residential neighborhood and ran a red light when he unintentionally struck Frazier's vehicle at a street intersection. Frazier, who was an innocent bystander and not involved in the police chase, died at the scene. Cummings faced criminal charges for operating his police vehicle negligently and causing Frazier's death. In mid 2023, he pleaded guilty to the criminal charge of vehicular homicide and received a nine-month prison sentence.

References

  1. ↑ Bump, Philip (April 20, 2021). "How the first statement from Minneapolis police made George Floyd's murder seem like George Floyd's fault". The Washington Post . Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ↑ Marcus, Josh (June 11, 2021). "Darnella Frazier, teen who filmed George Floyd's murder, awarded Pulitzer Prize". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 11, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  3. ↑ Griffith, Janelle (April 24, 2021). "A high school 2 miles from where George Floyd died plays outsize role in Chauvin trial". NBC News . Archived from the original on April 24, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
  4. ↑ Staff (June 12, 2020). "Who Is Darnella Frazier, the 17-Year-Old Who Filmed George Floyd's Fatal Arrest?". Inside Edition . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  5. ↑ Broaddus, Adrienne (June 30, 2020). "A walk to the store: 9-year-old who witnessed Floyd death writing book: Judeah Reynolds said she waited all day for her cousin to walk her to the store for snacks. On their way to the store, they saw George Floyd's killing". KARE-TV . Minneapolis . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 Nevett, Joshua (June 10, 2020). "George Floyd: The personal cost of filming police brutality". BBC News . Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  7. 1 2 McLaughlin, Eliott C. (June 23, 2020). "Three videos piece together the final moments of George Floyd's life". CNN . Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  8. 1 2 Alexander, Elizabeth (June 15, 2020). "The Trayvon Generation: For Solo, Simon, Robel, Maurice, Cameron, and Sekou". NewYorker . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  9. ↑ Stern, Joanna (June 13, 2020). "They Used Smartphone Cameras to Record Police Brutality—and Change History: Video-camera technology on our phones got better. In the process, it made eyewitnesses of us all". Wall Street Journal . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  10. 1 2 Belle, Elly (May 29, 2020). "The Traumatized 17-Year-Old Who Filmed George Floyd's Killing Is Already Being Harassed". Refinery 29 . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Buchanan, Larry; Bui, Quoctrung; Patel, Jugal K. (July 3, 2020). "Black Lives Matter May Be the Largest Movement in U.S. History". New York Times . Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Bogel-Burroughs, Nicholas; Arango, Tim (March 30, 2021). "Darnella Frazier, the teenager who filmed George Floyd's arrest, testifies at the trial". New York Times . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  13. ↑ Paybarah, Azi (April 20, 2021). "How a teenager's video upended the police department's initial tale". New York Times . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  14. 1 2 Bella, Timothy; Knowles, Hannah (April 21, 2021). "Darnella Frazier, teen who filmed Floyd's arrest, celebrates Chauvin's guilty verdict". Seattle Times . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  15. ↑ McDonnell, Giulia; del Rio, Nieto (May 25, 2021). "Darnella Frazier, the teenager who recorded George Floyd's murder, speaks out". New York Times . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Prosecution rests in 3 cops' trial in George Floyd killing". Austin Daily Herald. Associated Press. February 14, 2022.
  17. ↑ Yancey-Bragg, N'dea (December 9, 2020). "Minneapolis teen who recorded death of George Floyd honored with PEN America award for courage". USA Today . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  18. ↑ Drayton, Tiffanie (December 31, 2020). "Internet Person of the Year: Darnella Frazier, the teen who filmed George Floyd's death: Her brave act changed America". Daily Dot . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  19. ↑ Yan, Holly (April 21, 2021). "A teen with 'a cell phone and sheer guts' is credited for Derek Chauvin's murder conviction". CNN . Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  20. ↑ Clark, Roy Peter (May 18, 2021). "Darnella Frazier, who filmed George Floyd's murder by police, should win a Pulitzer Prize: It would be an unusual prize, and Frazier would be the youngest winner in Pulitzer history. But she should win it". NiemanLab . Harvard University . Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  21. ↑ Izadi, Elahe (June 11, 2021). "Darnella Frazier, the teen who filmed George Floyd's murder, awarded a Pulitzer citation: The Pulitzer board said her video highlighted "the crucial role of citizens in journalists' quest for truth and justice."". Washington Post . Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  22. ↑ Hyatt, Kim; Miller, Maya (July 7, 2021). "Mourners block streets where Minneapolis police car crashed into car during pursuit, killing innocent driver". Star Tribune . Retrieved July 8, 2021.
  23. ↑ Harlow, Tim; Walsh, Paul; Chhith, Alex (July 6, 2021). "Darnella Frazier identifies innocent man killed during police pursuit as her uncle". Star Tribune . Retrieved July 7, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.