1. For the record, George Floyd was a 'regular' at the corner grocery. On this morning of the event....he'd gone to buy a pack of cigarettes'. You can figure the pack to cost in the $9 range. He passes a $20-bill, and the clerk does a quick check to reveal that it's counterfeit. Change never passes to Floyd...instead, the clerk asks for the smokes back. Floyd refuses, and walks out the door. The clerk then calls the police (perhaps in the presence of Floyd, but this is never really laid out).
Oddly, to the police later....the clerk says George Floyd appeared out-of-focus....perhaps drunk. This issue is never discussed ever again in court.
Floyd's behavior? He had to know the bill was a problem, but didn't care.
2. This all occurs around a few minutes before 8 AM. Clerk calls for the cops and they arrive at 8:08. Where is George Floyd? You would think that in this situation....you'd return to your vehicle, and get the hell out of sight. Eight long minutes...99-percent of people would be a mile down the road in that period of time.
Floyd is sitting there in the vehicle....it hasn't moved in 8 minutes. By the description that the two cops give....he's not focused or aware of anything much. Maybe drunk....maybe on some drug? Well....you have to wonder about this.
3. At 8:10 AM.....two minutes into this encounter....some guy happens to pull up and have video running of the event unfolding.
Just odd....maybe it's a new trend with people....always video-taping everything they see.
4. There's this one exchange between a policeman and Floyd.....where Floyd is described as erratic or acting weird. From the moment that he exits the SUV....I don't think Floyd was in any control of his mental or physical being.
5. So finally, Floyd and Chauvin meet. They both work at the same 'club'....for several years. They have to know each other. You would think....in 99-percent of cases where you and a co-worker meet in a hyped-up situation....tense moments would have relaxed. Yet you don't see that.
This is an odd part of the story. Chauvin could have eased Floyd's situation by a few comments....but you don't see that.
It's an odd story to lay out. No matter how you assemble the facts....Floyd had to be seriously unfocused and having something in his system that confused the hell out of him. With or without the counterfeit bill or the cops arriving on the scene....he was in a uncontrolled manner, and certainly not in fit condition to drive a vehicle.
But going back to the $20-bill....where did it come from? That question has never been answered. Had he just reached into his billfold....pulled out a legit $20....this whole thing would have never occurred.
