Nelson directly used his questions to try to prove that Floyd was resistant to police orders in May 2019. Throughout the trial, Nelson has been trying to get witnesses to support his stance that Floyd was die from health problems, not from the actions of agents. during the May 2020 arrest.
“I approached the vehicle from the passenger side. The passenger window was down. I started giving orders to the individual who was in the passenger seat several times, ”recalls Creighton, who is already retired, from the May 2019 arrest.
Paul Blume
(@ PaulBlume_FOX9)Creighton has retired from MPD. Judge Cahill has read a statement to the jury about the May 6, 2019 arrest #GeorgeFloyd. The judge tells them that * no * will be used as evidence against the character #GeorgeFloyd. His limited intention is to show the potential impact of opioids on Floyd. pic.twitter.com/wMfRBdKQlG
“The passenger did not respond and did not obey my orders.”
Creighton testifies that he had to “physically get to … because I wanted to see his hands.” Floyd was removed from the vehicle and handcuffed.
“In my opinion, his behavior was very nervous and anxious.”
“Did you draw the service weapon?” Nelson asks.
“Yes, I did.”
Nelson presents the images from Creighton’s camera from that day. It says “I don’t plan to shoot you” and the service weapon is visible in the frame.
“Keep your hands where I can see them!” Creighton tells Floyd at one point to put his hands on the board.
“I won’t shoot you,” he also says.
This video shows Floyd resisting.
At the cross, prosecutors are asking Creighton questions to indicate that Floyd was not under medical stress during this arrest, in an effort to undermine Nelson’s health-oriented defense.
“Was he awake during this incident?” the prosecution asks.
“Yes”.
“Was he conscious?
“Yes,” Creighton says, and later pointed out, “It was inconsistent in my mind.”
Cahill told the jurors that Creighton’s testimony was not of Floyd’s character.
With Creighton’s testimony completed, Nelson has called the next defense witness, Michelle Moseng. She is a retired Minneapolis paramedic who was called in to help Floyd after his arrest in May 2019.
“It was pretty hard to evaluate it,” Moseng says. “I was upset and confused.” Nelson then asks him if Floyd told him he had taken drugs.
“She told me she had been taking multiples, like every 20 minutes, and it was, I don’t remember if it was oxy or Percocet, but it was opioid-based,” she says.