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Hints Of An Overdose Persist As Fiancee Courtney Ross Takes The Stand

Gab video of her testimony here:
https://gab.com/LadyBee/posts/105991739552555970

By Maryam Henein

George Floyd had Courtney Ross saved in his cell phone as ‘mama.’ Was he calling for his fiancee that evening while laying on the cement with Derek Chauvin’s knee on his neck?

The fourth day of the Derek Chauvin trial began with the State calling Floyd’s fiancee Courtney Ross to the stand. Ross, 45, told the courtroom on Thursday about George, their three-year on-and-off relationship, and their shared drug addiction.

It became clear that the prosecution wanted to set the record straight given that Chauvin’s defense lawyer, Eric Nelson, has argued that Floyd’s death was the result of health issues and a drug overdose.

Through Ross’s testimony, prosecutors sought to address the narrative head-on, painting a sympathetic portrait of Floyd and his long-term battle with opioid addiction.

Strange how prison life involving drug use and related crimes is so easily excused in this case. George Floyd has been charged in the past for manufacturing/selling drugs and possession.

She then went on to explain how they both got hooked on pills.

“Both Floyd and I, our story—it’s a classic story of how many people get addicted to opioids. We both suffered from chronic pain,” she said. “Mine was in my neck and his was in his back. We both have prescriptions. We got addicted, and tried really hard to break that addiction many times.”

Ross shared that they had periods of time when they both were clean and other times when they bought other people’s prescriptions if their own ran out; and when that wasn’t available, they would purchase opioids through other illegal means. She said that Floyd also purchased drugs from his friend Maurice Lester Hall and Shawanda Hill.

Both ‘friends’ were with him the day he died. Incidentally, Hall was also accused of using counterfeit bills at Cup Foods that day.

Hall was going to be a central witness. However, he filed a notice Wednesday night stating that he plans to exercise his Fifth Amendment rights—meaning he will likely not testify during the trial.

“Mr. Hall through undersigned counsel hereby provides notice to all parties in this matter that if called to testify he will invoke his fifth amendment privilege against self-incrimination, Therefore counsel for Mr. Hall respectfully moves this court to quash the subpoena.”

Ross mentioned that she did not particularly like Hall.

March Overdose and Coronavirus

Ross stated that in March 2020, Floyd relapsed.

“To someone who suffers from any type of addiction, you can see change when they’re using again,” Ross explained. “Slight behavioral changes that I saw in him that made me suspect.”

Ross admits that she also started using again in March 2020, and later in May, she took drugs that felt different from what she normally used.

In March, Floyd spent several days in the hospital. It happened after she’d picked him up for work one night.

“He wasn’t feeling good. His stomach really hurt. He was doubled over in pain,” Ross said during cross-examination. Floyd reportedly had foam at the sides of his mouth, similar to May 25th.

She brought him to the ER, but had to leave to get to work.

“You learned it was an overdose,”Nelson asked.

“Yes,” she said.

The prosecution attempted to object. But Judge Cahill overruled.

This was a win for Chauvin in establishing a pattern of drug abuse.

Nelson also questioned Ross at length about whether she believed Floyd had taken heroin before that particular hospitalization. He also questioned whether she previously told the FBI whether Floyd had bought drugs from Hall and Hill in the past.

Ross told the court that she was “speculating” and could not be certain.

So Nelson donned his mask and showed her a transcript from an FBI report. She then stated she had previously purchased drugs from Hall.

It was also around March or April that Floyd tested positive for COVID-19 and had to quarantine along with his two roommates. Ross tested negative. It wasn’t clear whether Floyd simply tested positive or was experiencing symptoms.

Ross spoke with him over the phone the day before he died. He told her he was spending the night with some friends, including a woman named Sylvia Jackson who possibly owned the Benz he was driving on May 25th.

Around that time the two had taken a two-month break in their relationship.