Even if you don’t recognize Darnella Frazier‘s name, you’ve likely watched the video she recorded on her phone on May 25, 2020.
Frazier was just 17 years old when she witnessed the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minn. She and her 9-year-old cousin were walking to the Cup Foods convenience store, when they saw former police officer Derek Chauvin and three others arresting Floyd. She used her phone to record Floyd’s death and uploaded the video to Facebook, which sparked worldwide protests last summer.
Nearly a year later, a jury found Chauvin guilty of murder. He was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter on Tuesday, April 20.
Frazier, now 18, has been heralded as a hero both for her foresight to record the video and for her bravery in taking the stand as a witness in the trial.
After the jury presented its verdict, Frazier shared her joy on Facebook. “I just cried so hard. This last hour my heart was beating so fast, I was so anxious, anxiety bussing through the roof,” she wrote. “But to know GUILTY ON ALL 3 CHARGES !!! THANK YOU GOD THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. George Floyd we did it!! justice has been served.”
