George Floyd's brother on watching Derek Chauvin placed in handcuffs: 'He had it a lot easier'

By Emily Shapiro

One of George Floyd's brothers says he was struck watching former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin put his hands behind his back to be placed into handcuffs after the guilty verdicts were read.

"I watched him put his hands behind his back -- he had it a lot easier than my brother because my brother's hands were pinned backwards," Philonise Floyd told ABC News' "Good Morning America" on Wednesday.

Court TV via Reuters

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is led away in handcuffs after a jury found him guilty of all charges in his trial in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, April 20, 2021.

As Philonise Floyd awaited the verdict, he said, "Inside that courtroom I prayed for like 30 minutes -- because it took 30 minutes for the jurors and the judge to come out."

He said Chauvin's conviction "makes us happier knowing that his life, it mattered and he didn't die in vain."

George Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd speaks to "Good Morning America," April 21, 2021.

George Floyd's brother Philonise Floyd and Family Attorney, Ben Crump speak to "Good Morning America," April 21, 2021.

"It was accountability," he said of the verdict.

Chauvin was convicted Tuesday on all counts against him in connection to George Floyd's death: second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

Minnesota Department of Corrections

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is pictured in an intake mugshot released by the Minnesota Department of Corrections on April 21, 2021.

Philonise Floyd said his brother's death "made people realize that people's lives matter."

"All across the world, not just here in Minneapolis," he said, "people, they marched for him, protested for him."

Adrees Latif/Reuters

People react after the verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, found guilty of the death of George Floyd, at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 20, 2021.

Octavio Jones/Reuters

People react after the verdict in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, found guilty of the death of George Floyd, at George Floyd Square in Minneapolis, April 20, 2021.

"Gianna, [George Floyd's 7-year-old daughter] she said her dad would change the world. And I think that we will be able to cement his legacy because he did just that -- he changed the world," Philonise Floyd said. "He brought everybody across this country together for one purpose and that was to make sure that these officers be held accountable."

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump added on "GMA" that he hopes this case sets a precedent "where liberty and justice for all" applies "to all Americans."

Crump said passing the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act is the next step "to prevent some of these unnecessary killings."

Philonise Floyd said, "I'm just happy that we will have the opportunity to cement his legacy, and hopefully the George Floyd Policing Act will be passed, because people's blood is on that bill. And these people, they need to have justice for what happened to their families."

As for the other three officers charged in connection to George Floyd's death, Philonise Floyd added on ABC's "The View" Wednesday, "They need to be held accountable, because, if the roles were reversed, that's what would happen to me."

"Any time you commit a crime, all people who are there, should all be held accountable," he said. "They all should be locked up together because my brother is doing time in the ground, and they all need to be doing time in a cell."

The other three officers, who are awaiting trial, are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.