One thing I do not understand.When he had Floyd on the ground. why didn’t he just handcuff him and roll him over on his side. That was the main reason he was convicted I believe. It was the appearance of him continuing to hold him down with knee on the neck knowing he was being filmed. It may not have been the cause of Floyd’s death but it was his attitude towards him that sunk him. The other officers were there could have helped him to constrain him with cuffs, and none of this would have happened.
I agree with you. But we have the benefit of hindsight. I’m trying to look at it from Chauvin’s point of view.
Floyd had been rightfully arrested, but he had put up a huge fight - he was really big and strong - and I’m sure Chauvin didn’t want to risk a repeat, so he was being extra cautious. He was using an approved restraint - approved because it’s not lethal - a method which he and his fellow-officers had probably used numerous time before without adverse consequences, so he probably justifiably had no concern for Floyd’s welfare from that restraint. And in case Floyd wasn’t still lying about not being able to breathe, an ambulance had already been called and would normally have already arrived. And I don’t think he was constantly looking at his watch, so he didn’t realize how much time had elapsed.
It’s easy for us to be wise after the event.