George Floyd did not resist arrest, says friend who was in the car with him

• Maurice Lester Hall, a friend of George Floyd who was with him in the vehicle before the fatal encounter, said that Floyd did not resist arrest.
• Hall said that Floyd had been pleading with the police officers the entire time.
• Hall assumed his friend was being brought to an ambulance and had no idea his friend had died — he only found out on social media the next day.

Maurice Lester Hall, 42, a friend of George Floyd who was with him in the car during his arrest, detailed how the fatal encounter started.

Floyd did not resist arrest, Hall told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on Thursday night. He said that Floyd had been pleading with the police officers the entire time.

The encounter started with the two of them sitting in an SUV. Hall was in the passenger seat while Floyd was in the driver’s seat. When the police approached them, they had no idea what was going on.

One officer approached Hall and asked for his ID. Suddenly, he heard a loud sound when another officer tried to break the window on Floyd’s side.

Hall recalled, “The energy was set wrong by the police when they approached him because they approached with, like, an energy where it startled (Floyd). … And he was just trying to diffuse the situation as best, as humbly as he could.”

He said that Floyd calmly asked the officers what they wanted him to do. When the officer asked him to show his hands, Floyd placed his hands on the steering wheel.

Moments later, Floyd was dragged out of the vehicle.

Hall recalled, “George … retreated to his knees saying, hey, man, in so many words I’ve been hurt, please officer. In other words, like why are y’all detaining — using such force right now with me? I mean, here I am.”

Floyd was taken across the street while another officer kept watch of Hall, who remained in the vehicle.

Hall then saw Floyd was on the ground, handcuffed, squirming, pleading for air, and saying he couldn’t breathe.

When Floyd was then taken away in a gurney, Hall assumed his friend was being brought to an ambulance. The officer told him he was free to go.

Hall’s attorney, Ashlee McFarlane, said that Hall had no idea his friend had died — he only found out on social media the next day.

Hall remarked, “After seeing the video the next day like my lawyer said and knowing from that angle of the video that was released, it’s horrific.”

Floyd’s death on May 25 sparked multiple protests nationwide. Protesters called for the arrest of all four officers involved.

Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for several minutes, was initially arrested on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The first charge was increased to a second-degree murder count on Wednesday.

The three other former officers were also arrested on Wednesday on charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Source: CNN