All of us face challenges in our lives. Our paths aren’t always straight and narrow. We do things and say things that we wish we wouldn’t have said. However, by in large, we are making our way through life, trying to do the right thing, pursuing happiness and freedom, and if you are like me, striving to make a difference.
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George Floyd was addicted to opiates. On May 25th, 2020, he was full of life, dancing in Cup foods on the corner of Chicago Avenue and 38th in Minneapolis Minnesota. He was arrested for allegedly passing a counterfeit twenty-dollar bill and reluctantly jammed into a police cruiser. While resisting, he said, “I’m not a bad guy.”
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There are many choices in my life that I wish I could take back. Skeletons in my closet. Demons that I’m chasing. Regrets, I’ve had a few-thanks Frank Sinatra. I struggle every day in relationships. I’ve said hurtful things to people that I love.
I’ve done my share of recreational drugs. I’m not addicted to opiates. I’ve had a few prescribed for pain and can understand how someone could become addicted.
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Until the Chauvin trial, I’d never heard of the “Spark of Life” doctrine. The state of Minnesota has a law that allows the state to call witnesses to provide testimony about a deceased person’s character. In George Floyd’s case, the prosecution brought forth Floyd’s younger brother, Philonise Floyd.
Prosecutors can present evidence that a murder victim was “not just bones and sinews covered with flesh, but was imbued with the spark of life. The prosecution has some leeway to show that spark and present the victim as a human being as long as it is not an attempt to invoke any undue sympathy or inflame the jury’s passions.”
I was moved to tears when I heard Philonise Floyd testify.
“He showed us how to love our mom and how to treat our mom…”
I thought of my own mom, who passed away three years ago. Philonise humanized George Floyd after the defense lawyer did his best to distract the jury by prosecuting Floyd’s character.
I’m sad for all the people that knew and loved George Floyd. I’m sure there are many more that would have testified on his behalf.
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I awoke from a deep slumber this morning and wondered, should I die at the hands of another who would be my Spark of Life witnesses? I wrote down a handful of family and friends that I love and respect.
Now and then, it’s good to survey those people in our lives who love us and cherish us despite our flaws and imperfections. When I take the time to reflect on people I love, it helps me think about my actions and behaviors and challenges me to be a better person. Life is too precious and too short. The trial of Derik Chauvin has shown us how fragile we all are and how important it is to have empathy and compassion.
Who would you want to testify on your behalf? Who would be your Spark of Life Witnesses?
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Sammie Chaffin on Unsplash