People have flocked to praise Darnella Frazier for her role in helping convict Derek Chauvin of murdering George Floyd.
The Minneapolis teenager was walking with her nine-year-old cousin to get snacks on May 25 last year when she witnessed Floyd being arrested by the police officer.
The then-17-year-old captured the harrowing final moments of Floyd's life where he begged officer Derek Chauvin to stop pressing his knee on his neck because he couldn't breathe.
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Chauvin has since been found guilty of all three counts in the death of George Floyd, including second (unintentional) and third-degree murder, as well as second degree manslaughter.
Since the former officer's verdict was read out in a Minneapolis courtroom, social media has been filled with passionate messages for Ms Frazier.
One person wrote on Twitter: "If not for the bravery of a 17 year old, Darnell Frazier for recording the misconduct of Derek Chauvin, George Floyd's death would have gone under the radar. Thank goodness for the wisdom and courage of this young woman."
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Another added: "Thinking of Darnella Frazier who filmed the death of George Floyd at 17 and quite literally changed the world.
"She testified there are nights she stays up 'apologizing & apologizing to George Floyd for not doing more'. But, she did so, so much to get to this murder conviction."
It can't be overstated more how crucial that footage was during the trial.
Following Floyd's death, the Minneapolis Police Department issued a statement saying Floyd died due to a medical episode.
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The police report said Floyd was in 'medical distress' when he was placed in handcuffs and insisted no weapons were used during the incident.
Nowhere was a mention of a police officer kneeling on an unarmed individual's neck for nearly nine minutes.
People have been re-sharing that original document in the wake of the guilty verdict, proving how incidents like Floyd's can be difficult to prove without hard evidence.
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Late last year, literary and free expression organisation PEN America honoured the Ms Frazier with the PEN/Benenson Courage Award.
She was praised then for her 'remarkable steadiness' and allowed 'hundreds of millions around the world to see what she saw'.
"Without Darnella's presence of mind and readiness to risk her own safety and wellbeing, we may never have known the truth about George Floyd's murder," the organisation wrote.
Featured Image Credit: Pen.orgTopics: News, George Floyd, US News
