Derek Chauvin kept knee on ‘non-responsive’ George Floyd’s neck for almost 3 minutes
A Minneapolis cop kept his knee on George Floyd’s neck for nearly three minutes while the handcuffed man was “non-responsive” — and the “inherently dangerous” move likely helped kill him, according to court papers filed Friday.
The criminal complaint against since-fired cop Derek Chauvin also says that another cop checked Floyd’s right wrist for a pulse and said, “I couldn’t find one,” about two minutes before Chauvin finally removed his knee.
“The defendant had his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr. Floyd was non-responsive,” the complaint says.
“Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous.”
An autopsy found “no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation” of Floyd, but revealed “underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease,” the complaint says.
“The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death,” the document adds.
The complaint doesn’t specify whether Floyd was under the influence or drugs or alcohol, but notes that another cop asked if Floyd was “on anything” while he was busted Monday for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a Minneapolis food store.
Chauvin, who was arrested Friday, is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, but Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman said that an investigation was ongoing and that more serious charges could be filed.
The three other cops at the scene are also likely to face charges, Freeman said, but he wouldn’t elaborate.