The world would know nothing of George Floyd's death without the civilian video showing his murder at the hands of then-Minneapolis cop Derek Chauvin ... so say George's brother and family attorney.
Philonise Floyd and Ben Crump joined us on "TMZ Live" Wednesday and we asked if they believe Floyd's murderer would still be on the police force if 17-year-old Darnella Frazier hadn't stopped and hit record on her camera phone.
Philonise says his brother would be "just another dead man" if not for Darnella's video, which Crump says has been viewed over 50 million times around the world.
Crump believes Derek Chauvin may never have been prosecuted without the shocking footage, because as he points out ... police departments often try to sweep critical details under the rug in cases like George's, or omit them completely.
Before Darnella posted the video of what really happened, the initial police report made no mention of Chauvin pressing his knee on George's neck for over 9 minutes ... and Crump says the teen is the unsung hero in the Floyd family's fight for justice.
In the end, Darnella's video was crucial in the family getting some justice with Chauvin's guilty verdict, which Philonise tells us was bittersweet.
It's a powerful conversation ... and Crump tells us why the upcoming trial of the other officers involved in Floyd's fatal arrest could be enormously significant in terms of police reform.
The full interview will air on TMZ Live on Wednesday night. Check your local listings.