The testimony is now complete in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the fired Minneapolis police officer charged with the death of George Floyd. The defense restated its case Thursday after Chauvin said he would not testify in his own defense. Chauvin spoke in court from the defense table just after resuming court on Thursday.
“Today I will invoke my Fifth Amendment privilege,” Chauvin said.
Prosecutors again called the position of Dr. Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist who offered key testimony for the prosecution last week, saying Floyd died of low oxygen under pressure from the weight of officers in the neck, ‘back and side. On Thursday, Tobin refuted some of the testimonies of forensic pathologist Dr. David Fowler, who testified by defense that Floyd suffered a cardiac arrhythmia due to his underlying heart disease.
Judge Peter Cahill apologized to the jury after Tobin’s testimony. He told jurors to return at 9 a.m. Monday to close the arguments, after which they will be kidnapped for deliberations.
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The defense case focuses on the way Floyd died, which has been a key point of contention during the trial. A number of medical experts have testified for the prosecution, saying the police restraint restricted oxygen to Floyd’s body and caused his heart to stop. But defense attorney Eric Nelson has argued that a combination of Floyd’s underlying heart disease, adrenaline and fentanyl, and methamphetamine he had ingested before arrest amounted to a fatal combination. Fowler stated that there were so many factors involved that he considers the form of Floyd’s death to be indeterminate.
The defense launched its case on Tuesday. The witness focused on Floyd’s drug use and an expert in defense of the use of force said Chauvin was justified in curbing Floyd.
Chauvin, who was seen in disturbing videos kneeling on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree homicide.
Chauvin pleaded not guilty. The other three agents involved are accused of aiding and abetting, and are expected to be tried together in August.