George Floyd‘s manner of death was homicide, according to the official port-mortem investigation into his death.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office today said Floyd died of a “cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement officer(s),” pointing to the “subdual, restraint, and neck compression” used during his arrest.
The brief statement says Floyd had heart disease and had recently used drugs, but reaches the same conclusion as the private autopsy ordered by Floyd’s family: that he died as a direct result of a knee being planted into his neck for more than eight minutes.
Floyd, an African-American man, died last Monday after being arrested in the US city of Minneapolis. He was 46.
Footage of his arrest, captured by onlookers, shows Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, a white man, kneeling on Floyd’s neck.
“I can’t breathe,” a handcuffed Floyd said.
Floyd was later pronounced dead in hospital.
His death sparked mass protests in Minneapolis and other cities in the United States, with thousands of demonstrators calling for an end to police brutality and racial injustice.
All four officers involved in Floyd’s arrest were fired, and Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
After the independent autopsy found there was “no other health issue” which would have contributed to his death, attorney Ben Crump, who represents Floyd’s family, called for Chauvin to face charges of first-degree murder.
“Manner of death is not a legal determination of culpability or intent, and should not be used to usurp the judicial process,” the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office said.
More to come.
