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What they're saying: The loss of Chadwick Boseman

29 August 2020
Dan Ackermann

Family, friends and fans of actor Chadwick Boseman are mourning the loss of the 43-year-old who died Friday after a four-year battle with colon cancer.

Why it matters: Boseman was most known for his portrayal of King T'Challa in the 2018 film the "Black Panther," which sent shockwaves through Hollywood.

  • A statement from his family called the role "the honor of his career."
  • His family wrote that from "Marshall to Da 5 Bloods, August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and several more, all were filmed during and between countless surgeries and chemotherapy."

His condition was not publicly known, and he passed at home alongside his wife and family.

What they're saying: Boseman's colleagues and fans are paying tribute to the actor.

  • "Black Panther" co-star Angela Bassett wrote on Instagram: "This young man’s dedication was awe-inspiring, his smile contagious, his talent unreal. So I pay tribute to a beautiful spirit, a consummate artist, a soulful brother...‘thou aren’t not dead but flown afar...’. All you possessed, Chadwick, you freely gave. Rest now, sweet prince."
  • Samuel L. Jackson wrote: "THANK YOU @chadwickboseman for all you gave us. We needed it & will always cherish it! A talented & giving artist & brother who will be sorely missed."
  • Sen. Kamala Harristweeted: "Heartbroken. My friend and fellow Bison Chadwick Boseman was brilliant, kind, learned, and humble. He left too early but his life made a difference."
  • Former Vice President Joe Bidentweeted:"The true power of @ChadwickBoseman was bigger than anything we saw on screen. From the Black Panther to Jackie Robinson, he inspired generations and showed them they can be anything they want — even super heroes."
  • Marvel Studios:"Our hearts are broken and our thoughts are with Chadwick Boseman’s family. Your legacy will live on forever."
  • Marvel's "Captain America" actor Chris Evanstweeted: "I’m absolutely devastated. This is beyond heartbreaking. Chadwick was special. A true original. He was a deeply committed and constantly curious artist. He had so much amazing work still left to create. I’m endlessly grateful for our friendship. Rest in power, King."

Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times

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Newly released transcripts of bodycam footage from the Minneapolis Police Department show that George Floyd told officers he could not breathe more than 20 times in the moments leading up to his death.

Why it matters: Floyd's killing sparked a national wave of Black Lives Matter protests and an ongoing reckoning over systemic racism in the United States. The transcripts "offer one the most thorough and dramatic accounts" before Floyd's death, The New York Times writes.

The state of play: The transcripts were released as former officer Thomas Lane seeks to have the charges that he aided in Floyd's death thrown out in court, per the Times. He is one of four officers who have been charged.

  • The filings also include a 60-page transcript of an interview with Lane. He said he "felt maybe that something was going on" when asked if he believed that Floyd was having a medical emergency at the time.

What the transcripts say:

  • Floyd told the officers he was claustrophobic as they tried to get him into the squad car.
  • The transcripts also show Floyd saying, "Momma, I love you. Tell my kids I love them. I'm dead."
  • Former officer Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for over eight minutes, told Floyd, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk."

Read the transcripts via DocumentCloud.