Thanks for the info and the link. I doubt Chauvin knew when he responded that Floyd was the individual the police had been called for. He was certainly a big enough man, with a distinctive face that if Chauvin knew him in the past, would recognize him again. Hopefully, any interactions between them will be ferreted out during the investigation. A lot hinges on the autopy results too, and whatever other video that may exist, but hasn’t been reported on, or seen yet. An article yesterday quoted a retired Minnesota police trainer who said that a neck restraint is taught to all the police officers. I find that hard to believe because it was never a part of approved training when I went through restraint and unarmed defensive tactics during my 25 years in uniform in NY State’s prisons. If the officer was the cause of the man’s death, then he should be held accountable, but like most of these incidents, the police officer, and it’s usually always a white police officer that’s in the mix, is tried in the media before all of the facts come out. And that is what helps fuel the riots that follow in the aftermath.
I wouldn’t think Chauvin knew it at the time he responded either. But if you watch the video of when Chauvin walked up to the car, he and Floyd talked to each other for sometime, until a ruckus occurred. Probably when either they recognized each other, or Floyd became upset because someone he knew was about to arrest him over a supposedly fake $20 bill. Or maybe it was Chauvin who initiated the conflict due to some beef he had with Floyd. It’s pretty apparent Chauvin wanted Floyd dead. Treating a former coworker that way is unusual, unless there was some animosity, or they didn’t recognized one another, which I seriously doubt after reports that they worked at the same club for 17 years.
If you watch the video, Floyd collapses near the rear of the vehicle he was being led to. I can't make out if someone caused him to fall, or he tripped over the curb, or if he collapsed due to some medical reason. It's kinda strange and unusual from the one video I have seen that shows it - maybe there are other videos that show the fall and what caused it in greater detail?