Asphyxiation not the cause of George Floyd's death: Autopsy

The Washington Times ^ | Friday, May 29, 2020 | Valerie Richardson

[Zhang Fei]

George Floyd died Monday from a combination of preexisting health conditions exacerbated by being held down by Minneapolis officers, not from strangulation or asphyxiation, based on the medical examiner’s initial report.

Preliminary findings from a Tuesday autopsy conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner found “no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxiation or strangulation,” according to the criminal complaint filed Friday against former officer Derek Michael Chauvin.

“Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease,” said the complaint from the Hennepin County Attorney. “The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.”

The Minneapolis police officer fired earlier this week was charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter after kneeling on Mr. Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Video showed he was unresponsive for the last 2 minutes and 53 seconds.

“Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous,” the complaint said.

According to the filing, officers confronted Mr. Floyd after receiving a 911 call saying that he had paid for merchandise at Cup Foods with a phony $20 bill. They found him nearby in his vehicle with an adult male and female.

Mr. Floyd, who was six feet tall and weighed over 200 pounds, was handcuffed and led to the squad car, but resisted getting inside, saying he was claustrophobic.

While standing, he said repeatedly he couldn’t breathe. Mr. Floyd struggled as officers tried to force him into the car and fell to the ground. Two officers held him down while Officer Chauvin pressed his knee on the suspect’s neck.

Mr. Floyd said “I can’t breathe” multiple times, as well as

[Rockingham]

My guess is that “potential intoxicants” was an inartful way for the ME to say that Mr. Floyd’s reported behavior suggested that he was intoxicated, but that the toxicology report was needed before he could make a medical finding on that point. Toxicology lab work tends to take a while.

[grey_whiskers]

Mr Kneecap has already been charged with 3rd degree murder and manslaughter.
They don’t want him to walk on 1st degree.

[GaryCrow]

I see nothing in that autopsy that would convince me that the charges of third degree murder and manslaughter are inappropriate. He might not have died directly of asphyxiation but the actions of Officer Chauvin directly contributed to his death. My mother died of metastatic cervical cancer but her death certificate lists pulmonary failure because her lungs failed due to the ravages of her cancer. It's just medical jargon that lists the direct cause of death, it doesn't deal with what actually brought that on, that's for the court to decide.

My best friend is an FBI agent and I spoke to him about an hour ago about this. His words were "That guy's done", meaning Chauvin. He said Chauvin basically broke every rule in the book and will probably go to prison. When the criminal case is over with Floyd's family will sue him for everything he's got an he'll be hounded by lawyers until his dying day.

[CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC]

What's interesting is that he refused to get in the cop car, claiming claustrophobia, yet they had just found him sitting in his own car with 2 other people. So which is it? Do police SUVs give you claustrophobia but not your own SUV?

So I get why the cops would ignore his excuse as a lie, especially after years on the beat hearing every imaginable excuse from people as to why it is that they just CAN'T get into the cop car.

OTOH, I don't think he was necessarily lying. Couldn't an onrushing heart attack make you feel claustrophobic? Or at least give you an awful feeling not easy to put into words, so you pick a word that seems close?

I think one of the worst possible situations you could ever get yourself into, is drunk and/or high, with the belligerence & diminished mental capacity that often brings, while arguing with a cop.

[skinndogNN]

This article says 6 feet tall, I’ve read elsewhere he was 6’7”.

[Celtic Conservative]

Tox screens take time. The results are likely not back yet.

CC

[Mozzafiato]

There was zero reason to have him in the prone position for 9 minutes with a knee on his neck. He’s in handcuffs, there are multiple cops around, they could’ve easily sat him down in cuffs on the curb or with his back up against the car tire. Really inexcusable.

[DivineMomentsOfTruth]

So if they suspected a medical condition like a heart attack, why the knee on the neck then?

I know.. especially after he had no pulse for 2 minutes.. The police officer is a bad apple with a record of abuse.

[CivilWarBrewing]

"By the way, does it normally take 9 minutes for an Ambulance to arrive in a major city?"

Only when it's a Deep State operation that requires Floyd be dead in order to trigger black rage, then rioting in order to ERASE THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY Biden's "you ain't black" comment IN ORDER TO GET BLACKS BACK ON THE DEMONRAT PLANTATION!

[heartwood]

Link?

[shelterguy]

“””””””’You can speculate whether he would have died without the officer kneeling on his neck, but the fact is he died while the restraint was being applied”””””””””

You can speculate if you want. I will wait for the toxicology report so I know the facts.

[Zhang Fei]

[This is sophistry under the most intense political pressure in order to keep the city from massive payouts]

---

A few million dollars is a drop in the bucket. In NYC, Big Bird/De Bozo has made the city pay hundreds of millions in compensation where it wasn’t necessary in order to buy black votes. It’s the easiest form of vote-buying there is, and the pol doesn’t have to spend any time talking to tightwad contributors who want time-consuming favors that involve wrangling votes from legislators. What part of other people’s money don’t you understand? Pols don’t give a damn about spending city money - it’s not coming out of their pockets. That’s what bond issues, tax hikes and random fines imposed on the private sector are for.

[Paddy Irish]

The guy is wrong. EMTs in Hennepin wear uniforms and vests just like a deputy would.

[lodi90]

Resisting arrest when you’re a walking heart attack is a poor choice.

---

Applying excessive force and refusing to render aid to a clearly unconscious and handcuffed prisoner for many minutes are even poorer choices. And of course made under color of law. The cops made their own bed here.

[Southnsoul]

Are you serious? These cops are not “innocent.”

That one cop with his knee on top of Flynn’s neck with his body weight on top of him as he’s being pressed into concrete even though he’s restrained makes him guilty as sin.

[jacknyc]

Positional Asphyxiation can happen when restrained on your stomach and usually police will sit you up quickly...anyone trained in law enforcement should know that.

[shanover]

Looks like the FR wing of the Minneapolis lynch mob will have to go back to COVID to express their self righteousness.

Yup.

"Neck on knee" ad nauseam. MURDER ad nauseam. Scumbag cop ad nauseam.

My biggest complaints were we need to wait and see and the fact the police,irregardless of restraint,failed to heed to the welfare of the suspect so there punishment will be by the law.

Free Republic wants to jump shark between COVID and this issue?

[DivineMomentsOfTruth]

I said the other day.. They need to be trained in dealing with people who panic from strong phobias.

[MinuteGal]

I read the family of the victim wants to retain their own autopsy expert. They're NOT happy with the 3rd degree murder charge. They want FIRST degree!

This ain't over by a long shot !

Leni