Former NBA player Stephen Jackson spoke at a rally Friday afternoon in Minneapolis in remembrance of his friend George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in police custody after pleading that he could not breathe.

“I’m here because they’re not gonna demean the character of George Floyd, my twin,” Jackson told supporters. “A lot of times, when police do things they know that’s wrong, the first thing they try to do is cover it up, and bring up their background — to make it seem like the bulls— that they did, was worthy. When was murder ever worthy? But if it’s a black man, it’s approved.

“You can’t tell me, when that man has his knee on my brother’s neck — taking his life away, with his hand in his pocket — that that smirk on his face didn’t say, ‘I’m protected.’ You can’t tell me that he didn’t feel that it was his duty to murder my brother, and that he knew he was gonna get away with it. You can’t tell me that wasn’t the look on his face.”

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Jackson, a 14-year NBA veteran who became friends with Floyd while growing up in Texas, spoke along with actor Jamie Foxx and others at the rally, which was held at the Minneapolis City Hall Rotunda and also attended by Timberwolves players Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Okogie.

Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of Floyd, was arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said.

The other three officers at the scene have also been fired.

Freeman did not have immediate details, but said a criminal complaint would be made available later. The charges come after three days of protests, which had been escalating in violence.

As protests continue in Minneapolis, outrage has been heard from across the United States following the death of the 46-year-old Floyd on Monday.

“We can’t love forever and the hate is coming out and I’m afraid,” Jackson said during the rally. “I’m honestly afraid because I know what comes from hate, from us, and I know why y’all are so scared. Because y’all are scared that we’re going to pull a you on you. I know why y’all are scared. Y’all have been doing us wrong for so long, y’all think karma’s going to hit you right back.

“But we’re going to do this s— right and it ain’t gonna stop. I don’t have no more tears honestly. I’ve cried enough. I’ve cried enough. I’m here for one reason. For my brother’s honor.”

Minnesota im here because my brother was murdered. My twin. No justice No peace. Love to all who have love for all ????? https://t.co/caoXPHFBN6

— IG: _Stak5_ (@DaTrillStak5) May 29, 2020

Jackson has shared a number of social media posts defending him since his death. He appeared at the rally in a black hoodie with the words: “RIP GEORGE FLOYD 3rd Ward, TX.”

“He was murdered in broad daylight for the world to see,” Jackson said. “… So where do we go from here? We’re going to the front line and anything you see, so be it, so be it, so be it. I want you to see it because this is real pain. How can you tell people to stop doing what they’re doing when all you have to do is have common sense? Common sense ain’t common.

“Common sense is not common. I walk right here and smack this man right behind his camera and common sense will say we all saw him slap him. Am I right? Everybody in here will say we saw him slap him. Everybody saw it. So everybody didn’t see that this man killed my brother? Common sense ain’t common. It’s a new day.”

ESPN’s Eric Woodyard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rae Carruth is a name that most fans of the Carolina Panthers and the Colorado Buffaloes undoubtedly want to forget. A star receiver at Colorado, Carruth was Carolina’s first-round pick in the 1997 NFL Draft, but his pro career ended abruptly after he was charged and convicted for conspiracy to commit murder in 2001. 

Carruth was found gulity of hiring a triggerman to kill Cherica Adams, a 24-year-old woman that was seven months pregnant with his child, and was sentenced to 18 to 24 years in prison. Now, Carruth’s release date is approaching. Oct. 22, 2018 is the day Carruth is slated to leave a North Carolina prison.

His impending release appears to have galvanized the sentimental side of him, as he appears to be ready to break his longtime silence on his crimes. Carruth didn’t testify at his own trial, and he’s done only one interview. Carruth has met his son, Chancellor Lee Adams, twice. Adams’ grandmother (and Cherica’s mother), Saundra Adams, has cared for Chancellor, and has staunchly protested the mere thought of Carruth getting custody of his son.

Which leads to Carruth’s letter. Carruth penned a 15-page letter to Saundra, telling her that her claims against him are untrue. He made the letter public, with a foreword, saying that releasing the letter wasn’t to win the public over but to make people question Saundra’s claims.

The letter, which can be read in its entirety here, is incredibly complex. It praises Saundra’s care of Chancellor, while also saying that she hasn’t been truthful in interviews about Carruth. Saundra has said in the past that she will be at the gates with Chancellor when Carruth is released, and she’ll work with him, according to WBTV.

WBTV conducted an interview with Carruth, in which he was candid about some of the circumstances surrounding Cherica’s death. He started by talking about Saundra’s claims against him, and questioned their truthfulness. “I feel like if I did it in the open, it would put an end to the lies,” he said to WBTV. “If I say publicly, ‘Ms. Adams, I apologize, Ms. Adams, I take responsibility for what happened,’ that she can no longer get on television and do an interview and say Rae has never apologized to me.”

When pressed about details on Cherica’s death, Carruth was reportedly evasive. But he did take responsibility. Sort of. “I’m apologizing for the loss of her daughter,” he said. “I’m apologizing for the impairment of my son (Chancellor has cerebral palsy and permanent brain damage). I feel responsible for everything that happened. And I just want her to know that truly I am sorry for everything.”

Carruth also said that he and Cherica should be raising Chancellor together.

“I should be raising my son,” he said. “His mother should be raising her son. Ms. Adams should not be doing this and I want that responsibility back. I feel like he might not ever have his mother in his life but he could still have me and I could still make a difference and I don’t think that’s anyone’s responsibility when I’m still here.”

This expounds on something that Carruth wrote in the letter, saying that Saundra won’t be alive forever. He wants to survive her as Chancellor’s guardian.

Carruth’s phrasing in the letter, however, is a bit more cavalier.

“Ms. Adams,” he wrote. “The story of how you lost your daughter; how Chancellor came into this world; and the way that he has gone on to endure, thrive, and over achieve with you by his side is so heart wrenching and inspiring on its own, that there isn’t any need for embellishment or lies. And yet you’ve made a habit out of doing so in every interview that you’ve given since the beginning of this whole ordeal.”

The letter also addresses his silence, saying he maintained it “reluctantly” out of “respect.” But he’s now ready to get out and make a change, regardless of what people say.

“When I first got incarcerated I would ask myself how did this happen?” he said. “How are you here? And the number one answer that I had was I didn’t have a relationship with God. And I know some people might smirk or laugh about that but I know now that I have a very real relationship with God and that’s changed a lot of the ways that I see and view a lot of things.”

Carruth’s letter also said that calling Cherica his girlfriend was false, with the two merely hooking up. Carruth concedes that he asked about abortion, but after Cherica said she was keeping the baby, he never went back to the topic.

It’s a messy situation that will only get messier. Carruth is one of the most infamous NFL names this side of O.J. Simpson, and any topic involving him is controversial. As we get closer to October, now that the seal is broken on Carruth’s side of things, Saundra and his war of words will likely only get more intense.