DEREK Chauvin’s defence team has blamed the “angry” crowd for officers’ failure to give the father-of-one medical attention and claimed George Floyd died from a heart disease and an overdose of meth and fentanyl.
On the first day of the trial on Monday, March 29, 2021, Derek Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson gave the opening statement for the defence telling the jury that “reason and common sense” was needed in looking at the evidence.
You can read a live blog of the trial here.
What did George Floyd’s autopsy results reveal?
George Floyd‘s cause of death was classified as a homicide by a medical examiner who ran an independent autopsy on June 1, 2020.
He said his heart stopped while police restrained him and compressed his neck for almost nine minutes.
The cause of death was listed as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression,” according to the official information from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office.
It determined: “[Floyd] experienced a cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s).”
The office also listed heart disease and hypertension under Floyd’s “other significant conditions”.
It also stated that the father-of-one had fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system, as well as being positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus.
However, those factors were not listed under cause of death.
How long was George Floyd held down for?
Floyd, 46, died on May 25, 2020, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, when he was arrested by three policemen after a grocery employee alleged that he had used a fake $20 bill.
Police officers who located Floyd near his car claimed he “physically resisted officers” while possibly under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.
Chauvin was the cop kneeling on Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes before he lost consciousness.
Disturbing footage of the incident was shared in social media, showing Floyd groaning in pain and saying repeatedly “I can’t breathe”.
In the shocking footage, Floyd can also be heard saying “Don’t kill me!” before he becomes motionless.
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When did Derek Chauvin’s trial start?
The first day of the high-profile trial was on Monday, March 29, 2021.
Floyd’s family knelt outside of the courthouse for eight minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time Chauvin was filmed kneeling on the 46-year-old’s neck before he died.
The trial is expected to be carried out over four weeks with the city of Minneapolis installing protections around the courthouse to discourage any violent protests.
Chauvin had previously pleaded not guilty to second and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.