A Minnesota medical examiner has determined that George Floyd died from the combined effects of Coronary Artery Disease, hypertensive heart disease, and a knee pressed against his neck and back.
The medical examiner found no evidence that Floyd died from traumatic asphyxia or strangulation, the complaint said, according to NBC News.
Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for exactly 8 minutes and 45 seconds, was fired from the police force on Tuesday along with officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane, and J Alexander Kueng.
The four officers responded to a 911 call of a “forgery in process” at Cup Foods on Monday, May 25.
According to the state charging documents, the officers found Floyd, 46, sitting in his car outside the store. He was removed from the car and arrested for passing a counterfeit $20 bill in the store.
The document states Floyd refused to get into a patrol unit and complained that he was claustrophobic and he could not breathe.
“While standing outside the car, Mr. Floyd began saying and repeating that he could not breathe,” the document said.
When Floyd was placed facedown on the pavement, Chauvin placed his left knee “in the area of Mr. Floyd’s head and neck,” according to prosecutors.
“Mr. Floyd said, ‘I can’t breathe’ multiple times and repeatedly said, ‘Mama’ and ‘please,’ as well.”
One of Chauvin’s fellow officers suggested rolling Floyd over on his side, but Chauvin said, “No, staying put where we got him.”
When Floyd eventually fell silent and stopped moving, “officer Kueng checked Floyd’s wrist for a pulse and said, ‘I couldn’t find one.’ None of the officers moved from their positions,” the complaint said.
After three days of unrest, looting and vandalism in south Minneapolis, Chauvin, 44, was arrested Friday and charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd’s death. There were no other arrests.
The coroner’s report will likely form the basis of Chauvin’s defense during his trial.
His legal team will attempt to convince a jury that Floyd would have died in police custody even if Chuavin had not kneeled on his carotid artery for 8 minutes and 45 seconds.
