Prosecutors have also asked experts to testify about the role of drugs found in Floyd's system, trying to head off the defense's argument that drugs played a key role in his death. Where things stand: This week, the prosecution has called experts and police officials to testify about proper use of force and medical professionals to testify about how Floyd died. "The point is it’s due to law enforcement subdual, restraint and compression."Ī family-commissioned autopsy released around the same time found Floyd's death was a homicide caused by "asphyxiation from sustained pressure."Ĭhauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death. Lindsey Thomas, a former forensic pathologist for the county who trained Baker. "This is a death where both heart and lungs stop working," said Dr. In his autopsy report last year, Baker said Floyd's heart and lungs stopped amid "law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression," but he did not use the word "asphyxia," or oxygen loss. He ruled the death a homicide.įriday morning, the former Hennepin County medical examiner told the jury that Floyd died from asphyxia due to officers' restraint – going a step further than the autopsy. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning. Floyd could take by virtue of his heart conditions," Baker said. "The law enforcement subdual and neck compression is just more than Mr. Andrew Baker testified that Floyd's existing and underlying heart disease was a contributing cause of his death it was evidenced by a heart that "weighed more than it should" and coronary arteries that were significantly narrowed.
#Oxygen forensic free trial trial
Andrew Baker, Hennepin County Medical Examiner, testifies as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Friday, April 9, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn.ĭr. MINNEAPOLIS - The chief medical examiner for Hennepin County who conducted the autopsy on George Floyd testified Friday in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, telling jurors that Floyd's breathing did not appear to be impaired by the placement of Chauvin's knee on Floyd's neck.