He was claiming to not be able to breathe as he was being put into the squad car - far before he was removed from the squad car and put on his side - while he was still resisting arrest and kicking an officer. Watch the video and learn.
That is not what the medical examiner’s report says. The report says that Floyd had Fentanyl in his system and had cardiovascular problems, and doesn’t attribute cause of death to either. It says the cause of death was: "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.”
Here is a link to the autopsy report.
You will note the case title right away.
I’ve linked the official autopsy report in another comment. It says the cause of death was "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.”
It does not attribute any other direct cause of death but that of Chauvin’s actions.
The medical examiner disagrees with you about what the findings of his own report are.
I’ve watched the video and read the actual autopsy report. I still think the jury made the right call.
I thought at the time Chauvin stayed on the guy far longer than was necessary, well after the point Floyd had stopped resisting or putting up any kind of fight. Chauvin even stayed on FLoyd after paramedics arrived.
Nothing presented at trial alter my opinion. I was prepared to change my mind.
None of which are cited as cause of death. That is put in the case title. Which says: CARDIOPULMONARY ARREST COMPLICATING LAW ENFORCEMENT SUBDUAL, RESTRAINT, AND NECK COMPRESSION.
Nothing about any of the other factors which certainly contributed to his ability to withstand the stress Chauvin applied to him. But, for the fact of the long neck restraint, Floyd probably wouldn’t have died that day.
No. People just released a page from the official autopsy that they thought was exculpatory of Chauvin. In fact they fixated on the same page that Dave shared above. However, the jury saw the same report I just read, and found, like the Medical examiner that the cause of death was the result of ""cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.”
I just checked and I was mistaken. There was a second autopsy. The Floyd Family commissioned an independent autopsy. It seems to have that asphyxiation from sustained pressure was the cause. So two autopsies find death caused by the officer’s actions.
I’m always skeptical of family commissioned autopsies. As I worry that the examiner may be hesitant to say what they really think to a grieving family that is paying for their services. Families that do this are often in bewildered distress and looking for answers and not satisfied. Its all understandable but, all the true crime I’ve listened to indicates that maybe it is not as helpful as a grieving family might think.
I can see why one might have that opinion. Floyd presents a complicated case medically given his comorbidities. There was even some disagreement among the experts.
But I don’t think the official autopsy demonstrates that Chauvin wasn’t responsible for Floyd’s death. The jury saw the same report and did not think it did. And the doctor who completed the report testified to the following.
“And in my opinion, the law enforcement subdual, restraint and the neck compression was just more than Mr. Floyd could take by virtue of that, those heart conditions,” the medical examiner said.”
The main factor was the neck restraint according to the Hennepin medical examiner. No neck restraint, Floyd probably would have lived another day. The argument then becomes was Chauvin’s use of the restraint justified. The jury found the answer to this question to be no. Having watched the video, I find I agree. Perhaps Chauvin will demonstrate that this is the wrong position to have should he appeal. I’ll certainly change my mind in that case.