In Minnesota, the doctor who tried to save George Floyd’s life at a Minneapolis emergency room last May testified Monday that asphyxia was the likely cause of Floyd’s death — with no evidence Floyd was killed by a heart attack or drug overdose. Dr. Bradford Langenfeld’s testimony came as the second week of former police officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial got underway. Also testifying was Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, who told prosecutors Chauvin violated department policies and showed a “disregard for life” when he kneeled on George Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes. It was a rare instance of a police chief testifying against a former officer.
Police Chief Medaria Arradondo: “But once there was no longer any resistance, and clearly when Mr. Floyd was no longer responsive and even motionless, to continue to apply that level of force to a person proned out, handcuffed behind their back, that, in no way, shape or form, is anything that is by policy. It is not part of our training. And it is certainly not part of our ethics or our values.”
Police Chief Arredondo is among several high-ranking law enforcement officials who’ve condemned Derek Chauvin’s actions during the trial. Yet Chauvin racked up 18 complaints over his 19-year career as a police officer, raising questions about why he remained on active duty at the time of George Floyd’s killing.