EXCLUSIVE: George Floyd's sister LaTonya on her brother's death as the trial of Derek Chauvin begins
George Floyd’s sister LaTonya Floyd appeared on Good Morning Britain ahead of the U.S trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is accused of killing George.
In her first TV show ahead of the trial, LaTonya told Susanna and Ben she feels both scared and happy about the trial.
“It’s between scary and happy. The scary thing is we really don’t know what’s going to happen. A lot of families and people who have been through the same thing as what we’re going through, but believe me, it was not as horrific as this, so it’s scary. And I’m happy because justice will prevail. It’s just intense.”
Ben asked how the last year had been for the family and LaTonya said: “It’s been hell. We don’t get to see him, we don’t get to hold him, to talk to him. It’s so painful. Something was taken away from us that I watched come from the hospital. I fed a bottle to him, changed diapers, held him at night... little baby boy, my brother. He’s no longer here. It hurts so bad, our family has been going through it. On this day here, I hope it’s the beginning of justice for my family and hopefully everyone who’s been through it.”
Breaking down, LaTonya added: “I thank you all for caring and I’m just praying that those people do the right thing.”
Talking about choosing not to watch the film of her brother, LaTonya revealed: “I would be in an asylum if I watched that video. It’s unavoidable to hear things. I could be watching a soap opera on TV and all of a sudden a broadcast comes on and I see this man down on his knee and my brother… I just turn really quick and run out of the room…There’s no way in God’s earth I can watch something like that, my baby brother and there’s nothing I can do about it. I can’t watch that, I would never watch that.”
LaTonya added she thinks the city of Minneapolis care, but doesn’t agree with the violence seen in protests. “Night and day I watched Minneapolis walk with signs, screaming, protesting. All the violence, I can’t promote that. I understand they’re angry but that’s not what my family’s about. There was a better way to handle it. I’m handling it with prayer and tears, each to his own, but I don’t feel it was necessary, but it happened… The people of Minneapolis… I think they care, absolutely.”
Susanna asked what she’d like to see changed and LaTonya said: “All lives matter. I would like to see a change in the police forces. Not all are the same but in every state, country, city, there’s a Chauvin. There’s one of those, everywhere. We can’t have a perfect world, I just want a part of perfection, just some peace."
She added: “The police brutality… Assaulting, choking and beating is not necessary. I want to see all that changed. It would be wonderful if racism would just go away. But we know that’s not going to happen.
“My brother sparked a major movement… I just want to see world peace.”
On how she will be remembering her brother today, LaTonya said: “I’ll be remembering our lives together. He died at 46 years. I’m 52, that was my baby boy. He liked to rap, me I loved rock n roll, so I taught him two songs - Bon Jovi You Gave Love a Bad Name and REO Keep on Loving You. We used to sing it together all the time at 13, 14. The last time I spoke to him, we sung it on the phone together, word for word. I’m just going to remember the good times and the bad times. I just wish he was here. That’s not going to happen.”
Chauvin is accused of second and third degree murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. He has pleaded not guilty.