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George Floyd's girlfriend wept as she testified about his love for his mom and their struggles with opioids

Apr 2, 2021, 04:28 IST
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Courtney Ross broke down in tears testifying about her relationship with George Floyd.Court TV, pool
  • Courteney Ross and George Floyd dated until the day he died.
  • She told the jury Thursday about their first kiss, Floyd's caring demeanor, and his active lifestyle.
  • Ross also said both she and Floyd struggled with opioids.
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In August 2017, Courteney Ross was visiting the father of her sons at the Salvation Army where George Floyd was working.

Ross waited in the hallway for the man to come down and got frustrated when he didn't. At that moment, Floyd, who had a deep, Southern voice, approached and asked if she was OK.

"He's like 'Sis, you OK, sis?'" Ross testified Thursday during the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. "And I wasn't OK ... He said 'Well, can I pray with you?"

"I was so tired, and we had been through so much, my sons and I," she added. "It was so sweet, and at the time I had lost a lot of faith in God."

Floyd asked Ross for her number that day, she said. They shared a kiss and went on to date - with some time off - until the day he died.

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Chauvin is accused of killing Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than 9 minutes during their interaction outside a Cup Foods store in May 2020.

Ross told the jury about her and Floyd's relationship, his love for his mother, and their shared struggles with opioids.

Pool notes from reporters inside the courtroom said that one male juror became emotional as Ross cried on the stand.

A sketch of Derek Chauvin in the courtroom.REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg

Floyd lived an active lifestyle and loved to go out to eat

Ross told the court on Thursday morning that she and Floyd would see each other as much as possible, almost daily, while they were dating.

She said he had two daughters, who he loved.

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Floyd lived an active lifestyle and would regularly run, bike, and lift weights, she said. He was such a large man, she said, that he loved to eat and they enjoyed dining out together often.

Floyd was a "mama's boy"

Ross testified that Floyd was a "mama's boy" who was devoted to and loved his mother.

When she died in May 2018, he returned to Minneapolis devastated and "a shell" of who he was, she said.

"He was so sad. He didn't have the same kind of bounce that he had," she said. "He loved his mom so much."

On the day of his death, Floyd repeatedly called out for "mama" while Chauvin's knee was pressed into his neck.

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Ross testified that Floyd called both her and his actual mother by "mama."

The couple was trying to overcome opioid addiction

Ross testified the couple also struggled with opioids. Floyd's addiction was spurred by an injury to his back, she said, while her struggles began with chronic pain in her neck.

While they were together, Ross said there were times when they both used opioids and when they were both not using. There were also periods when one of them was using and the other was not, she said, and they worked together to try and overcome addiction.

Floyd started acting different about two weeks before his death, Ross said, making her believe he was using drugs again.

On cross examination from Chauvin's attorney Eric Nelson, Ross testified Floyd spent 5 days in the hospital in March 2020 due to a drug overdose. During that incident, Floyd had suffered stomach pain and had dry foam visible in the corners of his mouth.

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Ross testified that she believed that he obtained the drugs responsible for that overdose from Shawanda Hill, who was also in Floyd's car on the day of his death.

She said she believed Floyd sometimes bought drugs from Morries Hall, who was also in the car on the day of his death, Ross said.

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