As They Prepare For Autopsy Photos In Court, George Floyd Family Offers Public Prayer
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Emotional testimony during the Derek Chauvin trial has members of George Floyd's family seeking solace from a higher power.
During the lunch hour, the family -- along with their attorneys and spiritual leader Rev. Al Sharpton -- walked out of the courtroom and outside to pray. The prayer was intended not only for the family but for people who are also watching the trial intensely.
You could see the anguish in the faces of George Floyd's family members as they walked out of court. For seven days the family has re-lived the incident that took their brother away from them forever.
"It has a psychological mental effect, not just on the family but on people who are watching television, following this trial intensely," attorney Ben Crump said. "For many of us, George Floyd represents a cause, a case, a hashtag. But for his siblings and his children, George Floyd is their blood."
With a foundation built upon prayer, the family assembled the team they usually pray with by phone and extended an invitation to all who felt a need to ask for strength to get through the trial.
"After such a tumultuous week, them having to watch that tape over and over and then listening to the police chief yesterday, I said, 'No, let's run out there and have prayer in person,'" Sharpton said.
Sharpton, who performed the eulogy at Floyd's funeral in Minneapolis and in Houston, led the prayer he hopes touches the world.
"Maybe we set a tone of healing, because so many people are suffering anxiety watching this everyday," Sharpton said.
For a family looking for help to deal with what they've seen and what is yet to come.
"We're going through hard times right now, and we need people on our side to help us get through this," Philonise Floyd said.
Floyd's family will have to look at photos of Floyd's autopsy photos in court soon, another reason for gathering in prayer.