George Floyd's younger brother, Philonise, took the witness stand in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin accused of killing George, NBC News reported on Tuesday.
Philonise began crying seeing the photos of George and his mother. "I miss both of them," he said. "George was a person that everybody loved around the community ... he was so much a leader to us in the household."
Philonise, 39, was among three witnesses to testify on Monday, the 11th day of the trial of Chauvin, who is charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
He said he grew up playing video games with George. "I finally beat him in a game, and I was just so happy," USA Today quoted Philonise as saying.
Philonise said George excelled in football and basketball in school and was granted a scholarship to South Florida Community College before transferring to Texas A&M, where he played football.
He said people would attend church service just because George was there. He knew how to make people feel better, Philonise said.
Philonise, who is married and has two children, testified as part of an effort by prosecutors to humanize George in front of the jurors and make him more than a crime figure.
Minnesota is a rarity as a state in explicitly permitting what legal experts call a "spark of life" testimony during the court proceeding, The Guardian said.
Earlier Monday, cardiologist Jonathan Rich testified that George Floyd died from "a cardiopulmonary arrest" caused by low oxygen levels induced by the prone restraint and "positional asphyxiation" that he was subjected to by police, NPR reported.
Meanwhile, the judge in the murder case rejected a request by the defense to immediately sequester the jury, Monday.
Defense lawyer Eric Nelson, who made the request, argued that the jurors could be swayed by the prospect of what might occur as a result of their verdict.
Judge Peter Cahill said he won't sequester the jury until next Monday, when he anticipates closing arguments will begin, according to CBS Minnesota.
