The prone restraint and police pressure on Floyd prevented his lungs to get enough oxygen for the body, said Rich, who also analyzed other possible causes of death, including a heart attack or drug overdose. The prosecution sought Rich's testimony to bolster previous trial evidence from a pulmonary expert and others who said that Floyd suffocated because he was unable to breathe properly while lying face down with his hands cuffed behind his back and while Chauvin and other officers restrained him from above.
Rich said, in his opinion, Floyd had three medical problems: high blood pressure, anxiety, and a struggle with substance abuse. He said high blood pressure can be hereditary and unrelated to the heart. Floyd had an exceptionally strong heart," Rich said. Rich said he also reviewed toxicology reports, and saw "no evidence to show a fentanyl overdose caused Mr. Floyd's death. Rich also said he ruled out a methamphetamine overdose because Floyd had a very low level of that drug in his system.
Rich spoke directly to the jurors, and many turned their swivel chairs to face him. When Rich said Floyd's death "was absolutely preventable," all the jurors wrote on their notepads. Rich said if police hadn't subjected Floyd to a prone restraint, Floyd would not have died. Additionally, when Floyd appeared to pass out, Floyd might have been able to "expand his lungs again" if the officers had turned him to a side recovery position.
Rich said officers should have tried to resuscitate Floyd when they determined he did not appear to have a pulse. Asked about Floyd's chances at pulling through after paramedics arrived with an ambulance, Rich said: "At that point, I think the chance of meaningful survival was very low. On cross examination, lead defense attorney Eric Nelson turned jurors' attention to the condition of Floyd's heart. Martin Tobin, who did the same last week.
Nelson asked Rich whether Floyd would have survived that day if he had gotten into the back seat of the patrol car, as instructed by the police officers. Rich responded by saying "had he not been restrained in the way that he was, I think he would have survived that day. Defense attorney Eric Nelson renewed his previous motion for sequestering the jury based on protests that took place in Brooklyn Center overnight Sunday following a police-involved shooting.
The latest incident "brings it to the forefront of the jury's mindset that a verdict in this case is going to have consequences," he said. Prosecutor Steve Schleicher opposed sequestration, in part because the shooting took place in another Minnesota city with different law enforcement authorities.
However, Schleicher did not oppose questioning jurors about what they heard about the shooting and whether it might affect their judgment. Nelson also asked the judge to question the jurors about whether they had heard about the protests and ask whether they felt it could affect their judgement in the Chauvin trial. Cahill denied the defense motions. He said questioning jurors about the shooting and sequestering might "heighten the jurors' concern" about personal safety and potential public reaction when the panel hands up a verdict.
On Friday, the chief medical examiner for Hennepin County who conducted an autopsy on George Floyd reiterated to the jury what he wrote in his report last year: Floyd's death was a homicide caused by his heart and lungs stopping amid "law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression. Floyd could take by virtue of his heart conditions.
The defense has argued that Floyd's underlying heart issues and drug use contributed to his death. During questioning from defense attorney Eric Nelson, Baker said he included heart disease, the history of hypertension and the drugs in his system on the death certificate because they played a role in Floyd's death.
Baker said he did not find anatomical evidence Floyd died by asphyxia, or low oxygen. But a former Hennepin County medical examiner, who trained Baker and testified before him Friday, told the jury Floyd died from asphyxia due to officers' restraint. Lindsey Thomas. A family-commissioned autopsy released last year found Floyd's death was a homicide caused by "asphyxiation from sustained pressure.
More from Friday: George Floyd died from low oxygen due to officers' restraint, forensic pathologist says. In the five weeks he has presided over the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, Hennepin County District Court Judge Peter Cahill has proceeded carefully , knowing every decision will be scrutinized by the lawyers before him, everyone watching the livestream and someday possibly an appeals court.
Cahill's caution doesn't come as a surprise to his colleagues who describe him as an extremely knowledgeable student of the law known for controlling his courtroom in a respectful manner.
Chauvin, Kueng and Lane helped restrain the year-old Black man as he was on the ground. Kueng knelt on Floyd's back and Lane held down Floyd's legs. Thao kept bystanders from intervening. Chauvin pleaded guilty in December to a federal count of violating Floyd's civil rights during the May, 25, , arrest.
Thanks for contacting us. We've received your submission. Officials in one Minnesota city want to hot potato the trial of four ex-cops facing federal charges in the death of George Floyd to Minneapolis. The trial of the former Minneapolis police officers indicted for civil rights violations is set to take place in St.
Paul, but city officials are requesting the trial be moved to its Twin City. Minneapolis, which hosted the murder trial for Derek Chauvin earlier this year, is where the crime occurred, according to the Star Tribune. Death Has Got Him by the Hand 56m. Improper Regard or Indifference 51m. Gabriel's Voice 61m. More Details. Watch offline. Available to download. This show is Investigative, Emotional. More Like This.
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