22 March 2021
David Dobrik, the YouTube star who also co-founded buzzy photo app Dispo, is stepping down from its board and leaving the company, the startup told Axios.
Why it matters: Earlier on Sunday evening, venture firm Spark Capital announced it was stepping off Dispo's board and severing ties with the company in light of recent accusations of sexual assault against members of Dobrik's entourage. Some sponsors have also cut ties with Dobrik in the last several days.
Flashback: Just a month ago, Dispo, an app inspired by disposable cameras, raised a $20 million Series A round led by Spark Capital after a new beta version of its app quickly amassed thousands of users and buzz.
What they're saying: "David has chosen to step down from the board and leave the company to not distract from the company's growth," a Dispo spokesperson said Sunday.
- "Dispo's team, product, and most importantly- our community- stand for building a diverse, inclusive, and empowering world. "
Of note: It's unclear whether other investors will follow suit.
Transcripts show George Floyd told police "I can't breathe" over 20 times
Section2Newly 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.