Cop ‘kept knee on George Floyd’s neck for 3 minutes AFTER he fell unconscious’
THE EX-COP filmed kneeling on George Floyd’s neck as he begged for breath remained on him for three minutes AFTER he fell unconscious.
A damning criminal complaint made the revelation as Chauvin faces up to 35 years in prison for over his “inherently dangerous” actions during the tragedy that has sparked riots and protests across the US.
The complaint reveals that the white officer kept kneeling on the black man’s neck for almost 3 minutes after he fell unconscious and said “you’re talking fine” as he begged for air.
Chauvin’s bail was set at $500,000, according to the criminal complaint filed in the 4th Judicial District Court of Minnesota.
Chauvin was not ordered detained or remanded but he was taken into custody at Ramsey County jail on Friday afternoon following nationwide calls for his arrest.
The document does not say whether there are any conditions set for Chauvin’s release or if he is already out on bail.
The report states that “The defendant had his knee on Mr Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds in total. Two minutes and 53 seconds of this was after Mr Floyd was non-responsive.”
Father of six, Floyd, was filmed begging and gasping for air as police officers knelt on his neck while he was cuffed and on the ground during his May 25 arrest in Minneapolis.
However, a preliminary autopsy did not find evidence of “traumatic asphyxia or strangulation” and found Floyd may have died from being restrained as well as from underlying health conditions, and implied that he “ma.
Floyd’s family has called in an independent forensic pathologist, Dr Michael Baden, to conduct his own autopsy, calling the official report “an illusion”.
On Friday, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman highlighted the “extraordinary speed” in charging the case just four days after Floyd died but also defended himself against questions about why it did not happen sooner.
He previously said: “My job in the end is to prove that he violated criminal statute, and there is other evidence that does not support a criminal charge.
“We need to wade through all of that evidence to come to a meaningful determination.”
What the report states
According to the criminal complaint Police were called after Floyd was suspected of passing a fake $20 bill at the Cup Foods store, according to the Star Tribune.
Officers Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng approached Floyd, who was in a car with two other people.
Lane pointed his gun at Floyd, who placed his hands on the steering wheel. Lane returned his gun to the holster and pulled him out of the car.
Floyd initially resisted being handcuffed, but once cuffed was compliant. When they tried to put Floyd in the squad car, he stiffened and fell to the ground and said he was claustrophobic.
Chauvin then arrived with his partner, Tou Thao, and the four officers struggled to place Floyd in the squad car.
Chauvin then pulled Floyd out of the vehicle, and the 6-foot-6 Floyd again went to the ground while still handcuffed, the complaint read.
As two officers held Floyd’s back and legs, Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck, the charges continued.
Floyd then began repeating “I can’t breathe” along with “Mama” and “please,” the charges read.
One or more of the officers said to Floyd, “You are talking fine” as he continued moving back and forth.
None of the three officers moved from their positions, according to the complaint. Lane asked whether they should roll Floyd on his side.
“No, staying put where we got him,” Chauvin allegedly replied.
“I am worried about excited delirium or whatever,” Lane said.
“That’s why we have him on his stomach,” Chauvin said.
The three officers continued to hold Floyd down.
“Excited delirium” is a controversial condition, often related to drug use, that can allegedly lead to violence or physical agitation, according to The Star.
Thao can be seen in the video standing watch as Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck.
Thao also rebuffed bystanders who begged the officers to relent and to check Floyd’s pulse after he went limp.
Paramedics and emergency room staff at HCMC worked for nearly an hour to revive Floyd, who arrived with no pulse. He was pronounced dead around 9.25 pm.
Freeman declined to say whether any of the former officers have given a statement to investigators.
Freeman later issued a statement clarifying “that it is critical to review all the evidence because at the time of trial, invariably, all that information will be used.”
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Chauvin’s attorney, Tom Kelly, declined to comment about the allegations against his client, who remains jailed with his first court appearance yet to be scheduled.
The tragedy has rocked the US as protests have been ongoing for four days, with the army on standby.
Chauvin faces up to 35 years in prison if convicted – a 25 year maximum sentence for murder and a 10 year maximum sentence for manslaughter.
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