George Floyd died on the 25th of May, 2020. Derek Chauvin was fired from the Minneapolis Police Department the following day. He is currently on trial, accused of murder.

The defense argues Floyd died as a result of the drugs in his system and underlying medical issues. On the contrary, Dr. Lindsey Thomas testified today, April 9th, 2021. She clarifies the original cause of death, “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression,” to be asphyxiation, defined as a condition arising when the body is deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation.

This furthers opposition to the defense’s claim, being that drugs killed him, and not the middle aged man applying weight to the neck. Lieutenant Johnny Mercil, who teaches the proper use of force for the department, told jurors the neck restraint applied by Chauvin during the deadly arrest of Floyd was unauthorized. According to Chauvin he did exactly as he was trained.

There were two autopsies run when Floyd died: one by his family and one by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office, both determining the cause of death to be homicide. The family’s autopsy found the cause of death to be asphyxiation as well as Dr. Thomas’. She actually trained the current Hennepin County chief medical examiner, Dr. Andrew Baker, which gives her plenty of credibility for the jury.

In latest news, there have been 34 witnesses so far – all called by the prosecution. Dr. Martin Tobin, A physician with 40 years of experience testified yesterday that Floyd was in a vise between the road and the knees of Chauvin. The position of his hands handcuffed behind him further compressed the chest and lungs, which even “a healthy person subjected to what Mr. Floyd was subjected to would have died as a result.”

There was also a  forensic toxicologist who analyzed George Floyd’s blood and urine who testified yesterday, who said that the amount of methamphetamine was “very low,” which is yet another statement made by the prosecution which opposes the defense’s claim.