Firefighter blocked from helping Floyd returns to stand

A Minneapolis firefighter who voiced frustration at being prevented from using her EMT training to help George Floyd will be back on the stand on March 31 in the trial of the fired police officer charged in Floyd's death.

Genevieve Hansen, one of several bystanders seen and heard shouting at Derek Chauvin as he pinned Floyd facedown outside a convenience store last May, cried Tuesday as she recounted how she was unable to come to

Floyd's aid or tell police what to do, such as administering chest compressions.

"There was a man being killed," said Hansen, who testified in her dress uniform and detailed her emergency medical technician training. "I would have been able to provide medical attention to the best of my abilities. And this human was denied that right."

Hansen was among several onlookers to testify Tuesday to what they saw of Floyd's May 25 death. They described their increasing frustration, anger and despair as they begged Chauvin to take his knee off Floyd's neck.

Witness after witness described how Chauvin was unmoved by their pleas, including the teenager who shot the harrowing video of the arrest that set off nationwide protests. She said the officer gave the crowd a "cold" and "heartless" stare.

"He didn't care. It seemed as if he didn't care what we were saying," said 18-year-old Darnella Frazier, one of several witnesses who testified through tears.

Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd while fellow Officer Tou Thao held the crowd of about 15 back, even when Hansen identified herself as a firefighter and pleaded repeatedly to check Floyd's pulse, according to witnesses and bystander video.

"They definitely put their hands on the Mace, and we all pulled back," Frazier told the jury.