Starr realizes that Hailey is not a true friend and cuts her off. Starr also reconnects with DeVante, a young member of the King Lords who wants to leave the gang and who witnessed the shooting. Starr's family agrees to help DeVante by letting him stay at Carlos's house and by finding him a job and a school.
Starr agrees to do a television interview with a reporter, where she tells her side of the story and defends Khalil's character. She also reveals that Khalil was selling drugs for King because King threatened his grandmother, who owed him money.
Starr hopes that her interview will bring attention to the case and pressure the authorities to prosecute Officer Cruise. However, she also faces backlash from some people who accuse her of lying and of being anti-police. She also faces threats from King, who is angry that she exposed his involvement in the drug business.
Starr decides to testify before a grand jury, which will determine whether to indict Officer Cruise for Khalil's death. She is nervous and scared, but she is determined to tell the truth and to honor Khalil's memory.
She is supported by her family, friends, and community, who stand by her and protect her from King's attacks. She is also inspired by the example of her father, who was once imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, but who turned his life around and became a respected and responsible man.
Starr testifies before the grand jury, where she recounts the details of the night of the shooting and refutes the claims that Khalil was a threat to the officer.
She also expresses her frustration and anger at the system that treats black people as less than human and that allows police officers to kill them with impunity. She hopes that her testimony will make a difference and that justice will be served.
Conclusion
The novel ends with the announcement of the grand jury's decision, which is that they have decided not to indict Officer Cruise. Starr is devastated and furious, as she feels that Khalil's life did not matter to the law or to the society. She joins a protest that erupts in Garden Heights, where people demand justice and accountability for Khalil and for other victims of police brutality.
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