Death of George Floyd

George Floyd, a 46 yr. old black male, died on May 25, 2020, during a fatal arrest by four Minneapolis police officers: Derek Chauvin, a white male, J. Alexander Kueng, a black male, Thomas Lane, a white male, and Tou Thao, a Hmong-American male. His death, captured on video, sparked global protests and a movement for police reform, focusing on racial injustice and brutality.^[14][15] The actual bodycam footage from the arresting officers showed Floyd restrained with an officer's knee on his neck, leading to immediate media coverage often highlighting racism and brutality. However, during the trials, race was explicitly not a factor, with instructions to jurors to disregard race, religion, or ethnicity.^[16]

At the time of his arrest, Floyd's behavior suggested he was under the influence of drugs. Floyd stood 6 feet 4 inches (193 cm), and weighed 223 pounds (101 kg).^[17] In comparison, Derek Chauvin stood 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m), and weighed 140 pounds (64 kg). According to police video and court testimony during Chauvin's trial, a bystander heard Chauvin say: "We gotta control this guy 'cause he's a sizable guy ... and it looks like he's probably on something." Other recordings during the trial showed the police struggling with Floyd who was resisting arrest, but they eventually managed to pin him to the ground.^[18]

Medical examiner Andrew Baker concluded Floyd's death was a homicide due to "cardiopulmonary arrest" from police actions, with hypertensive heart disease and fentanyl as contributing factors.^[19] Defense expert David Fowler attributed Floyd's death to sudden sudden cardiac arrhythmia, stemming from atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease, exacerbated by police restraint, and that the toxicology results indicated the presence of fentanyl and methamphetamine as significant contributory factors, and speculated that carbon monoxide poisoning from nearby vehicle exhaust and Floyd's other medical conditions may have played a role. He emphasized Floyd's enlarged heart and narrowed coronary arteries as evidence of hypertension, and noted the struggle between Floyd and the officers. The cause of Floyd's death remains a contentious issue.^[20] The trials for all four men resulted in guilty convictions: Chauvin was convicted of second-degree murder without intent, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, Lane and Kueng were convicted of aiding and abetting second-degree murder, and Thao of willfully failing to intervene to stop use of unreasonable force.^[21]

The public discourse surrounding George Floyd's cause of death has been significantly influenced by media portrayals, which have varied widely along political lines. Liberal media outlets have predominantly attributed Floyd's death to police negligence, focusing on the actions of the officers involved. Conversely, some conservative media have highlighted the presence of drugs like fentanyl in Floyd's system, suggesting that his death might have been due to an overdose rather than asphyxiation or direct police action.^[22] The Associated Press, analyzing the autopsy, clarified that while Floyd had fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system without life-threatening injuries, the official report concluded his death was from "cardiopulmonary arrest," not directly from an overdose.^[23] However, medical literature suggests that while fentanyl can lead to cardiopulmonary arrest, particularly when mixed with other drugs, it is not typically associated with direct cardiomyopathy or acute heart failure in adults, complicating the narrative around the direct cause of Floyd's death.^[24] This medical perspective adds another layer to the debate, illustrating the complexity of determining the exact cause of death in cases involving both drug use and physical restraint.

Background[edit | edit source]

Shortly after 8pm police were dispatched to South Minneapolis in response to a 911 call from a convenience store employee who reported Floyd had purchased cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill.^[25] Floyd was observed to be "drunk", either on alcohol or drugs.^[26] After police arrived at the scene, Floyd was removed from his car and handcuffed, all the while being uncooperative. During the attempted placement of Floyd into a police vehicle by Officer Kueng, Floyd resisted arrest, claiming claustrophobia, that he could not breathe, and repeatedly resisted by forcing his weight down to the pavement refusing to get in the car while officers worked to keep him standing.^[26][27] Chauvin and Thao eventually arrived at the scene. Police bodycam footage recorded Floyd's resistance to take a seat in the car causing Kueng to force Floyd into the car despite his resistance and the officer's attempts to reassure him. Floyd stated, "I just had Covid. I can't breathe!", and continued his attempts to break free. When asked by the police if he was on something he said no. While in the car struggling to break free, he was kicking Lane and resisting, yelling random statements of denial, and occasionally, "I can't breathe!".^[26][27] A bystander watching Floyd's struggle yelled to Floyd, "You're gonna die of a heart attack, man! Get in the car!" Officer Keung says, "He's under arrest right now for forgery." Chauvin and Thao, with assistance from Kueng and Lane, eventually restrained Floyd facedown on the pavement using the Maximal Restraint Technique (MRT) approved by the Minneapolis Police Department.^[26] Floyd continues his physical resistance kicking Officer Lane. Within 36 seconds of Floyd being restrained on the ground, Lane called for an emergency ambulance. Floyd calls for his Momma multiple times, and again pleads that he can't breathe.^[26] Bystanders urged Chauvin to release his knee, but Chauvin held his position. The length of time Floyd was restrained in the MRT position was well over 8 minutes.^[28][29] A fourth police officer, Tou Thao, prevented bystanders from intervening.^[30] After some videos of the incident were made public, all four officers were fired.^[31]

Cause of Floyd's death[edit | edit source]

Police handling of the incident notably raised questions as to what caused Floyd's death. After the arrest, Floyd's vehicle was searched and pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl were discovered. There were also more pills with traces of Floyd's saliva and DNA recovered from the back seat of the police car.^[26][32] Some debated whether Floyd's death resulted from Chauvin's actions, Floyd's drug use, or his underlying health issues.

Official autopsy[edit | edit source]

On May 26, 2020, Hennepin County Medical Examiner Andrew Baker met with Amy Sweasy and Patrick Lofton with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office, and with FBI Agents Hoffstetter, Rainer, Kane and Melcher, along with a few others. Baker explained that his initial report was not final because he needed to review more evidence, such as video evidence and toxicology reports. The initial autopsy report "revealed no physical evidence suggesting that Mr. Floyd died of asphyxiation. Mr. Floyd did not exhibit signs of petechiae, damage to his airways or thyroid, brain bleeding, bone injuries, or internal bruising."^[26] It further documented external injuries including a lip laceration and bruising on his face and left shoulder, abrasions on his fingers and knuckles, and wrist injuries likely from being handcuffed. Floyd's preexisting health conditions were also noted, including a "heavy heart and some coronary artery disease, at least one artery with approximately 75% blockage. Blood samples were sent to NMS Labs for a full toxicology report. Baker specifically avoided watching any videos of the incident to avoid potential bias.^[26] It was further noted that "most cases of untreated hypertension can put you at risk for death - get to death quicker because it needs more oxygen."^[26]

On May 27, 2020 prosecutors Lofton, Sweasy, Freeman, and LeFevour met again with Baker who provided the same autopsy from the May 26th meeting, but included additional information as follows: some of the scars on Floyd's hand were preexisting, and likely from an incident wherein he broke some glass and was admitted to the hospital a month earlier. There were indications that Floyd's medical records showed he had been admitted to methamphetamine detox. Baker again reiterated his findings were preliminary and that "the ultimate cause of death may prove to be a multifactorial diagnosis." Based on his knowledge at that point in time, three likely factors in that diagnosis could be (1) coronary artery disease, (2) stimulants that could cause Floyd's heart to work harder, and (3) exertion caused by Floyd's encounter with the police officers, depending on quality and intensity of the encounter. In Baker's experience, the latter is one of the reasons police avoid using the MRT position during an arrest.^[26]

On May 31, 2020 after days of rioting, Baker reviewed the toxicology report with prosecutors. The substances present included Methamphetamine–19 ng/ML very near low end, and a stimulant hard on the heart. Fentanyl–11, rather high, can cause pulmonary edema. Floyd's lungs were 2 to 3 times their normal weight at autopsy which equates into a fatal level of fentanyl under normal circumstances. Norfentanyl–5.6 a metabolite of fentanyl.

The first autopsy performed by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, where the body was physically examined, listed his cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression.”^[33] Under “other significant conditions”, it stated that Floyd "suffered from heart disease and hypertension, and listed fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use."^[33]

An independent autopsy was conducted on Floyd's body on May 31, 2020 by forensic pathologists Michael Baden and Allecia Wilson. The results were presented June 1, 2020 by Floyd Family attorney Ben Crump. The results of that autopsy state that Floyd died of asphyxia due to neck and back pressure that interfered with his breathing and blood flow to the brain. It also states that the weight on his back, handcuffs and positioning were contributory factors impairing his ability to breathe.^[34] They concluded that his death was consistent with what they saw in the video, and that no other cause of death was present in the autopsy. Prosecutors determined Floyd's death to be a homicide.^[34][35][36]

On March 12, 2021, Minneapolis agreed to pay $27 million to settle a wrongful death lawsuit brought by Floyd's family. On April 20, Chauvin was convicted of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter,^[5][37] and sentenced to 22.5 years in prison on June 25.^[38] All four officers faced federal civil rights charges.^[39] In December 2021, Chauvin pled guilty to federal charges of violating Floyd's civil rights by using unreasonable force and ignoring his serious medical distress.^[40][41] The other three officers were also later convicted of violating Floyd's civil rights.^[42] Lane pleaded guilty in May 2022 to a state charge for aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter^[43] and on September 21, 2022, was sentenced to three years in prison to be served concurrently with his 2.5-year federal sentence.^[44] Kueng pleaded guilty on October 24, 2022, to the state charges of aiding and abetting manslaughter with a recommendation of 42 months in prison, to be served concurrently with his federal sentence.^[7][45][46] The same day, Thao waived his right to a jury trial on the state charge in lieu of a review of the evidence and a determination by a judge.^[46]

Another autopsy review[edit | edit source]

In November 2023, Chauvin attempted to overturn his federal civil rights conviction, saying new evidence shows that he didn’t cause Floyd’s death.^[47] Chauvin claimed that William Schaetzel, a pathologist in Topeka, Kansas who reviewed Floyd's autopsy reports, said he believes Floyd did not die from asphyxia as a result of Chauvin's actions; rather, his death resulted from complications of a paraganglioma, which is a rare tumor that can cause "a fatal surge of adrenaline."^[48] During a phone call, Schaetzel told The Associated Press that he reached out to Chauvin, and that he "can't go to [his] grave with what [he knows]." He made it known that he just wants the truth.^[48]

A federal appeals court twice rejected Chauvin’s requests for a rehearing, and on November 20, 2023 the US Supreme Court declined to hear his appeal.^[49]

People involved[edit | edit source]

George Floyd[edit | edit source]

George Perry Floyd Jr. was a 46-year-old black American male born in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and raised in the Third Ward^[50] of Houston, Texas.^[51][52][53] In 2014, he moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota.^[54] He resided in the nearby suburb of St. Louis Park, and was a frequent customer at the Cup Foods convenience store in Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis.^[55]

The Washington Post reported the autopsies reveal that Floyd had significant stenosis in three coronary arteries, one of which was obstructed by 90 percent.^[14] He also exhibited a slight enlargement of the heart, perhaps attributed to chronic hypertension.

Floyd engaged in tobacco consumption and had a long history of illicit substance abuse. During the evening in question, the autopsies indicate that Floyd's blood had a significant quantity of fentanyl, a minor quantity of methamphetamine, and THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana.

Derek Chauvin[edit | edit source]

At the time of Floyd's fatal arrest, Derek Michael Chauvin, a white American,^[56] was a 44-year-old police officer in the Minneapolis Police Department. He had served in the department since 2001.^[57][58] Chauvin and Floyd sometimes worked overlapping shifts as security guards for a local nightclub, but the club's former owner was unsure of the extent of their acquaintance.^[59][60]

Tou Thao[edit | edit source]

Tou Thao, a Hmong-American,^[61] was aged 34 at the time of Floyd's fatal arrest and started as a part-time community service officer in 2008. He graduated from the police academy in 2009. After a two-year layoff, he resumed police work in 2012.^[57][62] Six complaints had been filed against Thao, none resulting in disciplinary action. In 2014, a man claimed Thao handcuffed him without cause, threw him to the ground, and punched, kicked, and kneed him; the man's teeth were broken and he was hospitalized.^[57][63] The resulting lawsuit was settled for $25,000.^[57] Thao kept bystanders away and has been found guilty of violating Floyd's civil rights.^[64]

J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane[edit | edit source]

James Alexander Kueng, a black American then 26, and Thomas Kiernan Lane, then 37,^[65][66][67] were licensed as law enforcement officers in August 2019.^[66][68] They had trained together.^[69] Chauvin was the superior officer responsible for the majority of Kueng's field training.^[69] On May 3, 2020, video of an arrest incident in Minneapolis showed Chauvin, Kueng, Lane, and another officer roughly detaining a man on the ground as bystanders pleaded for the officers to show mercy. Kueng and Lane were with Chauvin as the day was part of their field training. The man, whom they detained wrongfully, said he had trouble breathing, and the incident was later said to be similar to the arrest of George Floyd on May 25, 2020.^[70][71] At the time, Kueng and Lane were in their first week as Minneapolis police officers .^[72][65] Lane's application to join the police department had portions covering his prior criminal history redacted, including convictions for obstructing legal process and damaging property when he was 18.^[73] Kueng and Lane helped Chauvin to hold Floyd down; both were found guilty of violating Floyd's civil rights.^[64]

Arrest and death[edit | edit source]

Initial events[edit | edit source]

On the evening of May 25, 2020, sometime before 8:00 pm, Floyd purchased cigarettes at Cup Foods, a grocery store at the intersection of East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood of Minneapolis. A store employee believed Floyd had paid with a counterfeit $20 bill.^[74][75] Employees of the store approached Floyd while he was in his vehicle^{[74]: 1:25 [75]: 1:33 [76]} and demanded that Floyd return the cigarettes; he refused.^{[75]: 1:43 [77]} A store employee called the police to report that Floyd had passed "fake bills", was "awfully drunk", and "not in control of himself".^{[74]: 1:33 [75]: 1:51} The store owner said later that most patrons who pay in counterfeit bills do not realise they are fake, and that the store called the police to "make sure there is no crime being committed".^[78] The interaction between Floyd and the employees was recorded by the restaurant's security camera.^{[74]: 0:49 [75]: 1:24 [79][b]}

External video
Raw police bodycam footage beginning at approximately 8:09 p.m. on YouTube (1 hr 5 mins)

At 8:08, Kueng and Lane arrived, briefly entering Cup Foods before crossing the street to Floyd's SUV,^{[74]: 1:41 [75]: 2:00} parked in front of a Dragon Wok Minneapolis restaurant. Lane tapped his flashlight on the window, startling Floyd.^[80][81] He asked Floyd to show his hands, and tapped again when he did not obey. Floyd apologized as he opened the car door. Lane instructed him three more times to show his hands. Seconds after the door opened, he drew his gun and ordered Floyd to show his hands.^[80] When Floyd complied, Lane holstered his weapon.^[77][82] Someone parked behind Floyd's SUV began recording a video at 8:10.^{[74]: 1:56 [75]: 2:28} They briefly struggled,^[74]: 2:10 and Lane pulled Floyd from the SUV and handcuffed him.^[75]: 2:20 Two other people who were riding in the car with Floyd, including 45-year-old Shawanda Hill, were interrogated. At 8:12, Kueng sat Floyd on the sidewalk against the wall in front of the restaurant.^{[74]: 2:22 [75]: 2:33}

Lane asked Floyd if he was "on something right now", and Floyd replied "No, nothing". Kueng told Floyd he was acting "real erratic" and Floyd said that he was scared. Kueng asked Floyd about foam around his mouth, to which Floyd responded that he had been "hooping"^[c] earlier.^[84][89][87] Floyd then said he was calming down, and remarked, "I'm feeling better now."^[90]

At 8:13,^[74]: 2:30 Kueng and Lane told Floyd he was under arrest and walked him to their police car across the street.^[91] The officers then leaned him against the car's door.^{[74]: 2:42 [75]: 3:00} Floyd told the officers that he was not resisting, but that he was recovering from COVID-19, that he was claustrophobic and had anxiety, and that he did not want to sit in the car.^{[92][91][75]: 3:10 [27]} While Kueng and Lane attempted to put him in the car, Floyd begged them not to, repeatedly saying "I can't breathe" and offering to lie on the ground instead.^[91][27][93] A Minneapolis Park Police officer arrived and guarded Floyd's vehicle (across the street by the restaurant) and the two people who had been in it with Floyd.^{[74]: 2:53 [94]}

At 8:17, Chauvin and Thao arrived in a third police car joining Kueng and Lane^{[74]: 3:32 [75]: 3:27} with Chauvin assuming command.^[92] He asked if Floyd was going to jail, and Kueng replied that he was arrested for forgery.^[84] Floyd said "I can't fucking breathe" twice.^[89] Around 8:18, security footage from Cup Foods shows Kueng struggling with Floyd for at least a minute in the driver side backseat while Thao watches.^{[74]: 3:54 [75]: 3:49} According to The New York Times, at 8:19, Chauvin pulled Floyd across the backseat from the driver side to the passenger side.^[75]: 3:56 Then, according to NPR, Floyd exited the vehicle while being pulled out by police^[27] and falling to the pavement.^[77]

Chauvin kneels on Floyd's neck[edit | edit source]

External video
Witness video showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck on YouTube (10 min 8 s)

Chauvin restraining Floyd in choke hold; top rt image w/4 police officers over Floyd.

While Floyd lay on his chest with his cheek to the ground, Chauvin knelt on his neck.^[27] Floyd stopped moving around 8:20, though he was still conscious.^[74]: 4:10 Multiple witnesses began to film the encounter, and their videos were circulated widely on the internet.^{[77][75]: 4:06} At 8:20, a witness across the street began recording video showing Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck, Kueng applying pressure to Floyd's torso, and Lane applying pressure to Floyd's legs, while Thao stood nearby.^{[74]: 4:13 [75]: 4:11 [77]} This witness stopped filming when one of the officers ordered him to leave.^[75]: 4:35 Also at 8:20, a second person, standing near the entrance of Cup Foods, began recording the incident.^{[74]: 4:26 [75]: 5:08 [51]} Floyd can be heard repeatedly saying "I can't breathe", "Please", and "Mama";^{[77][74]: 4:44 [75]: 4:28} Lane then asked for an ambulance for Floyd, "for one bleeding from the mouth".^[89] Floyd repeated at least 16 times that he could not breathe.^[75]: 5:46 At one point a witness said: "You got him down. Let him breathe."^[95] After Floyd said, "I'm about to die", Chauvin told him to "relax".^[96] An officer asked Floyd, "What do you want?"; Floyd answered, "Please, the knee in my neck, I can't breathe."^[96]

At approximately 8:22, the officers called for an ambulance on a non-emergency basis, escalating the call to emergency status a minute later.^{[74]: 4:50 [75]: 4:42} Chauvin continued to kneel on Floyd's neck.^[75]: 5:15 A passerby yelled to Floyd, "Well, get up, get in the car, man", and Floyd, still handcuffed and face down on the pavement, responded, "I can't", while Chauvin's knee remained on his neck.^[75]: 5:26 Floyd said, "My stomach hurts, my neck hurts, everything hurts", requested water,^[97] and begged, "Don't kill me."^[98] One witness pointed out that Floyd was bleeding from the nose.^[99] Another told the officers that Floyd was "not even resisting arrest right now".^[51] Thao countered that Floyd was "talking, he's fine"; a witness replied that Floyd "ain't fine ... Get him off the ground ... You could have put him in the car by now. He's not resisting arrest or nothing. You're enjoying it. Look at you. Your body language explains it."^[99][100] As Floyd continued to cry for help, Thao said to witnesses: "This is why you don't do drugs, kids."^[101]

By 8:25, Floyd appeared unconscious, and bystanders confronted the officers about Floyd's condition. Chauvin pulled out mace to keep bystanders away as Thao moved between them and Chauvin.^[102][103] Bystanders repeatedly yelled that Floyd was "not responsive right now" and urged the officers to check his pulse.^{[74]: 5:22 [75]: 6:53 [77]} Kueng checked Floyd's wrist but found no pulse;^[77] the officers did not attempt to provide Floyd with medical assistance while he was on the ground.^[75]: 6:46 According to the criminal complaint against Chauvin, Lane asked Chauvin twice if they should move Floyd onto his side,^[104] and Chauvin said no.^[75]: 7:02

Medical response and death[edit | edit source]

At 8:27, a Hennepin County ambulance arrived.^{[74]: 5:56 [75]: 7:11} Shortly thereafter, a young relative of the owner of Cup Foods attempted to intervene, but was pushed back by Thao.^[74]: 6:03 Emergency medical technicians checked Floyd's pulse.^[75]: 7:17 Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck for almost a minute after the ambulance arrived, despite Floyd being silent and motionless.^[75]: 7:21

Around 8:29, Floyd was lifted by paramedics onto a stretcher,^[105] then loaded into an ambulance.^{[75]: 7:43 [77]} Lane boarded the ambulance and checked Floyd's pulse at his neck, and a medic instructed him to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation.^[106] A medical device was placed on Floyd's chest to provide mechanical chest compressions,^[106] and the ambulance departed for Hennepin County Medical Center.^{[74]: 6:35 [75]: 7:43 [77]}

En route, the ambulance requested assistance from the Minneapolis Fire Department.^{[74]: 6:35 [75]: 7:43 [77]} At 8:32, firefighters arrived at Cup Foods;^{[74]: 6:56 [75]: 7:56} according to their report, the police officers gave no clear information regarding Floyd's condition or whereabouts, which delayed their ability to find the ambulance.^{[75]: 7:56 [107]} Meanwhile, the ambulance reported that Floyd was entering cardiac arrest and again requested assistance, asking firefighters to meet them at the corner of 36th Street and Park Avenue. Five minutes later, the fire department reached the ambulance;^[75]: 8:10 two fire department medics who boarded the ambulance found Floyd unresponsive and pulseless.^[74]: 6:56

Floyd was pronounced dead at 9:25 at the Hennepin County Medical Center emergency room.^{[74]: 7:12 [75]: 8:28 [77][108]}

Investigations and criminal charges[edit | edit source]

Minneapolis police response[edit | edit source]

Early on May 26, the Minneapolis Police Department issued a statement which said nothing about Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck:^{[109][110][111]} "After Floyd got out of his car, he physically resisted officers. Officers were able to get the suspect into handcuffs and noted he appeared to be suffering medical distress."^[112] Hours later, witness and security camera video circulating on the Internet showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck.^[113] The department updated its statement^[114] by stating that new information had "been made available" and that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was joining the investigation.^[112] The four officers were briefly placed on paid administrative leave^[31] before being fired later that day.^[115]

Autopsies[edit | edit source]

Two sets of autopsy results publicized on June 1, 2020, determined that Floyd's death was a homicide.^[116][117] The conclusions, one by a local government official and one by doctors working for Floyd's family, differed over whether there were contributing factors, and whether the agreed cause, restraint and neck compression, was combined with subdual or asphyxiation.^[117]

Andrew Baker, a pathologist and the chief medical examiner for Hennepin County since 2004, performed an autopsy examination at 9:25 a.m. on May 26.^[118][119] Prosecutors filing charges against Chauvin summarized portions of preliminary findings in court documents that were released publicly on May 29.^[120] His final autopsy findings,^[121][118] issued June 1,^[122] found that Floyd's heart stopped while he was being restrained and that his death was a homicide caused by "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression".^[123]

Fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use may have increased the likelihood of death.^[124][125] Other significant conditions were arteriosclerotic heart disease and hypertensive heart disease, including an enlarged heart, one artery 90% blocked, and two others 75% narrowed.^{[126][121][127]} The report states that on April 3 Floyd had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, but does not list it as a fatal or other significant condition.^[128][129]

Attorneys for Floyd's family announced on May 29 that they would commission a second autopsy.^[130] It was carried out on May 31 by Michael Baden, a pathologist and former New York City chief medical examiner, and by Allecia Wilson, a pathologist and director of autopsy and forensic services at the University of Michigan Medical School.^[131][132] They announced their results on June 1, a few hours before Baker's final findings were issued.^[133] From the evidence available to them, which did not include a toxicology report or unspecified bodily samples, they found that Floyd's death was a homicide caused by asphyxia due to neck and back compression.^{[134][131][126]} Also, Floyd had no underlying medical problem that contributed to his death.^[135] They said that neck compression affected blood flow to the brain,^[126] that ability to speak does not imply ability to breathe,^[135] and that Floyd apparently died at the scene.^[133]

It was revealed in August 2020 that the United States Department of Justice had the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner review the state's official autopsy results, with the review agreeing with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's findings, including that the death was a homicide. The Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner added that the police "subdual and restraint had elements of positional and mechanical asphyxiation".^{[36][136][137][138]}

Federal investigation[edit | edit source]

On May 26, the FBI announced it was reviewing the incident at the request of the Minneapolis Police Department.^[139][140] On May 28, the United States Department of Justice released a joint statement with the FBI, saying that their investigation into Floyd's death was "a top priority" and outlining the investigation's next steps: a "comprehensive investigation will compile all available information and thoroughly evaluate evidence and information obtained from witnesses ... If it is determined that there has been a violation of federal law, criminal charges will be sought".^{[68][141][142]}

Failed plea bargain[edit | edit source]

On May 28, state and federal prosecutors held a press conference at a regional FBI office in Brooklyn Center, a Minneapolis suburb, in what was anticipated to be a major development to the case against the officers who were at the scene of Floyd's fatal arrest.^[143] Hennepin County Attorney Michael O. Freeman, the local official with jurisdiction to bring forth criminal charges for police misconduct, said his office needed more time to investigate.^[144] In explaining the anticipation of the media briefing and its two-hour delayed start, U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald said, "I thought we would have another development to talk to you about, but we don't." On June 9, it was revealed that state and federal prosecutors had discussed a plea deal with Chauvin that would have included state murder charges and federal civil rights charges,^[143] but the deal fell apart when United States Attorney General William Barr rejected it.^[145] Chauvin believed his prospects of winning at trial could be poor, and was willing to plead guilty to third-degree murder for a ten-year prison sentence. As he would have gone to federal prison, the federal government was involved. Barr worried that protestors might view the agreement as too lenient and prefer a full investigation.^[145]

State criminal charges[edit | edit source]

On May 29, Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, and was held at Oak Park Heights state prison. According to the criminal complaint, police are trained that the neck restraint that he applied "with a subject in prone position is inherently dangerous".^[146] He was the first officer in Minnesota to be charged in the death of a black civilian.^[147][148] On June 3, the charge against Chauvin was upgraded to unintentional second-degree murder, and the three other officers were charged with aiding and abetting unintentional second-degree murder as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.^[149]

Keith Ellison, the acting Minnesota Attorney General overseeing the prosecution of Chauvin and the other three officers involved in the fatal arrest of George Floyd, changed the initial charges against Chauvin to include second-degree murder. Some journalists incorrectly reported the charge as second-degree intentional murder; however, the correct verbiage is second-degree felony murder. Mitchell Hamline law professor Ted Sampsell-Jones explained that Chauvin was charged with second-degree felony murder, not second-degree intentional murder, which is possible because Minnesota is one of two jurisdictions that rejects the merger doctrine and allows the use of assault as a predicate felony.^[150] Though a charge of second-degree intentional murder could have exposed Chauvin under state sentencing guidelines to the possibility of a presumptive sentence as long as 306 months, second-degree felony murder carries the same presumptive sentence as the previous charge of third-degree murder: 180 months.^[150] Another issue with invoking the felony murder doctrine is that Minnesota law allows the trial court judge to make the requisite finding that the predicate felony posed a "special danger to human life", which may conflict with federal case law requiring every fact essential to a criminal sentence to be submitted to the jury at trial.^[150]

To be more precise, Sampsell-Jones further explained that the felony murder charge is an ancient legal concept where accidentally killing someone during the commission of a felony constitutes murder. Many places have abolished or modified this doctrine because of its controversy. However, Minnesota still uses it, albeit in a unique way. Unlike most jurisdictions, Minnesota allows assault to be considered a felony for felony murder charges. This is unusual and problematic, especially since the definition of assault has been distorted by recent court decisions. The new charges against Chauvin rely on this Minnesota law. By alleging that Chauvin assaulted Floyd and caused his death, prosecutors aim for a second-degree murder conviction without proving intent to kill. While this tactic is common in Minnesota, it raises concerns about fairness and justice, particularly since felony murder laws often target poorer defendants rather than police officers. Despite these legal intricacies, the new charge against Chauvin is largely symbolic. Felony murder and depraved heart murder, which was already charged, are not fundamentally different in the end.^[150]

The officers were held in jail after the state criminal charges were filed. Ahead of the trials, the four officers were released on bail. Lane was released first on June 10,^[151][152] Kueng on June 19,^[153] and Thao July 4.^[154] Chauvin was released on October 7 after posting a $1 million bond.^[155]

State civil rights action[edit | edit source]

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights opened an investigation into the practices of the Minneapolis Police Department on June 2.^[156][157] On June 5, the Minneapolis City Council authorized the mayor to enter a restraining order with the State of Minnesota banning chokeholds and neck restraints, requiring police officers to intervene against other officers' use of excessive force, and requiring authorization from the police chief or other designate before using crowd-control weapons such as chemical agents and rubber bullets.^[158][159] On June 8, a Hennepin County Court judge ordered the Minneapolis Police Department to cooperate with a civil rights investigation, and extended the restrictions on the department to require that the chief make discipline decisions in a timely and transparent manner, and that civilian analysts and investigators in the city's Office of Police Conduct Review be given authority to audit body-worn camera footage and to file or amend complaints on behalf of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Department.^{[160][161][162]}

In April 2022, the results of the state investigation into the Minneapolis Police were announced and it was found that the city and the police department engaged in a "pattern or practice of race discrimination" and that the organizational culture of the department had "flawed training and emphasized a paramilitary approach" with a lack of accountability.^[163][164]

Federal civil rights charges[edit | edit source]

In February 2021, the United States Department of Justice empaneled a grand jury in Minneapolis as part of a federal investigation into Chauvin.^[165] On May 7, 2021, all four officers were indicted on federal charges of civil rights violations.^[166] Chauvin was indicted for violating George Floyd's civil rights, along with a teenager who survived a similar restraint in 2017.^[167] The other three officers also face charges for violating Floyd's civil rights. Thao, Lane, and Kueng appeared at a hearing virtually, and each posted $25,000 bond. Chauvin did not appear at this hearing, and remained in jail while awaiting sentencing for his state charges.^[167]

Civil litigation and settlement[edit | edit source]

The family of George Floyd filed a wrongful death lawsuit in federal court in July 2020 against the City of Minneapolis and the four former police officers involved in Floyd's death. The complaint said Floyd's Fourth Amendment rights were violated by "excessive use of unjustified, excessive, illegal, and deadly force." The lawsuit did not specify the amount of monetary damages the family sought.^[168]

On March 12, 2021, the City of Minneapolis announced a settlement with Floyd's family for $27 million. It was approved unanimously by the City Council. Family lawyer Ben Crump described it as the "largest pre-trial settlement in a civil rights wrongful death case in U.S. history." The settlement surpassed the previous record for Minneapolis of $20 million, paid in 2019 in the killing of Justine Damond. The city allocated $500,000 "for the benefit of the community around 38th and Chicago", the location of Floyd's fatal arrest.^[169]

Trials and plea agreements[edit | edit source]

Criminal trial of Chauvin[edit | edit source]

External video
Pioneer Press Live Stream of Derek Chauvin trial on YouTube (1 hr 44 min 58 s)

Chauvin's trial commenced in Minneapolis on March 8, 2021, in Hennepin County District Court.^[170] Opening statements occurred on March 29, 2021, and closing arguments on April 19, 2021.

On April 20, 2021, the jury found Chauvin guilty of all charges, including unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.^[171][172] He was the first white Minnesota police officer to be convicted of murder involving a black person. It was only the second time an officer has been convicted of murder in Minnesota, the first being the third-degree murder conviction of Somali-American officer Mohamed Noor in the shooting of Justine Damond, a white woman.^[173] Following Chauvin's conviction, Judge Cahill revoked his bail and Chauvin was taken back into police custody due to flight risks and the dangers of publicity that this case has brought.^[174][175]

Chauvin was given a sentence of 22.5 years in custody.^[171] On May 12, 2021, Judge Cahill allowed for the prosecution to seek a greater prison sentence than the 12.5-year state guideline after finding that Chauvin treated Floyd "with particular cruelty."^[176][177] As a result of safety concerns and Chauvin being a former police officer, a plea deal was reached to allow him to serve his time in the Federal Correctional Institution (Tucson), a medium-security penitentiary with 266 male and female inmates.^[178] On November 24, 2023, Derek Chauvin was stabbed by another inmate and seriously injured.^[179] Chauvin filed an appeal on April 27, 2022.^[180]

Federal civil rights proceedings[edit | edit source]

The federal civil rights trial was initially scheduled to include all four officers—Chauvin, Kueng, Lane, and Thao—and begin in January 2022 with U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson presiding. The four officers were charged federally with abusing their positions as police officers, depriving Floyd of his constitutional rights to be "free from the use of unreasonable force", and failing to give medical aid. All four officers pled not guilty to the charges at a September 14, 2021, arraignment hearing. Chauvin faced an additional federal charge for a 2017 arrest incident of a 14-year old in Minneapolis that he initially pled not guilty to.^{[39][181][182]} In late 2020, prior to the trial, lawyers for Thao, Lane, and Kueng had sought to sever their case from Chauvin's. In a hearing on November 29, 2021, Magnuson ruled that all four officers would stand trial together.^[181]

Chauvin pleads guilty[edit | edit source]

Chauvin requested a hearing in December 2021 to offer a revised plea to the federal charges, a legal move that did not apply to the other three officers.^[183] He pled guilty on December 15, 2021, to the federal charges of violating the rights of Floyd and for the charge related to the 2017 incident.^[40] Chauvin admitted to willfully violating Floyd's constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including the right to be free from unreasonable force by a police officer.^[40] Chauvin also admitted to willfully violating Floyd's constitutional right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law, including the right to be free from a police officer's deliberate indifference to Floyd's serious medical needs.^[41] On July 7, 2022, Judge Magnuson sentenced Chauvin to 21 years, with roughly 17 incarcerated and 5 under supervised release, that will be served concurrently with his state criminal sentence.^[184]

Trial of Kueng, Lane, and Thao[edit | edit source]

The federal civil rights trial of Kueng, Lane, and Thao was held at at a courtroom in the Warren E. Burger Federal Building in Saint Paul, Minnesota.^[181][185] Jury selection began on January 20, 2022,^[186] and opening statements were given by both sides on January 24.^[187][188] The 12-person jury seated for the trial was drawn from across Minnesota. The racial makeup of the jury was described by The New York Times as appearing to be all-white, a contrast to the more racially diverse jury during Chauvin's criminal trial.^[189]

The prosecution's first witness, Katie Blackwell, testified for three days about the department's training and policies regarding use of force.^[190] During her testimony, Blackwell stated that the officers should have moved Floyd onto his side to prevent him having a cardiac arrest. Andrew Baker, who performed Floyd's autopsy, also took the stand to repeat his testimony from Chauvin's trial.^[191] The court postponed trial proceedings until February 7, after Lane tested positive for COVID-19.^[192][193]

When the trial resumed, officer Nicole Mackenzie testified that Kueng and Lane were in a medical training course that she instructed, and that her course included lessons in first aid.^[194] Dr. David Systrom, a pulmonologist, testified that Floyd's chances of survival could have "doubled or tripled" if the officers performed CPR on him.^[195] Use-of-force expert Tim Longo testified that Chauvin was acting outside of department protocol and the other officers should have intervened to save Floyd,^[196] although Lane's defense questioned this view.^[197] Testimony was also heard from Darnella Frazier, who filmed the initial arrest and Floyd's subsequent murder. The prosecution rested with this testimony.^[197]

Tou Thao took the stand to testify in his own defense.^[198] Thao claimed that he was not aware that Floyd was suffering medical problems until he was taken into the ambulance, and that the technique of kneeling on a detainee's neck was "not uncommon", although he denied having ever done so.^[199] He admitted that neither Chauvin nor any other officers had administered CPR to Floyd, but claimed he took this to indicate Floyd was breathing.^[200] Thao also stated that his main role at the scene was "crowd control" rather than to assess Floyd's condition.^[201][200]

Closing arguments were heard on February 22. Prosecutor Manda Sertich stated that Kueng, Lane, and Thao "chose to do nothing" while Floyd was dying. Defense attorneys stated that the former officers were inexperienced, improperly trained, and that they did not willfully violate Floyd's civil rights.^[202] After deliberating for 13 hours over two days, the jury on February 24 found the former officers guilty on all counts they faced at trial. All three officers were convicted of willfully violating Floyd's constitutional rights by not providing medical care when he lost a pulse. Kueng and Thao were also found guilty of failing to intervene to stop Chauvin from using unreasonable force. After finding them guilty, the jury concluded that the cause of Floyd's death was Chauvin's restraint, which permitted the judge to consider a lengthier sentence than the recommended three to four years in prison.^[203][204] The three officers remained free on bond while they awaited a sentencing hearing.^[189][205]

In July 2022, Judge Magnuson sentenced Lane to 2.5 years in prison,^[206] Kueng to three years in prison,^[207] and Thao to 3.5 years in prison.^[207] Lane was ordered to report to Federal Correctional Institution Englewood in Littleton, Colorado on August 30, 2022.^[206]

Criminal proceedings for Kueng, Lane, and Thao[edit | edit source]

The state criminal trial of Kueng, Lane, and Thao was delayed several times to allow the federal civil rights case to proceed first.^[208] In a ruling on April 26, 2022, Judge Peter Cahill, who also presided over Chauvin's trial, ordered that the proceedings of the trial would not be livestreamed.^[209]

Lane pleaded guilty in Hennepin County court on May 18, 2022, to the charge of aiding and abetting manslaughter related to the death of George Floyd. The charge against Lane for aiding and abetting second-degree murder was dismissed. Lane agreed to a three-year sentence, with two years in prison, to be served concurrently with his civil rights federal conviction.^[11][13][43] On September 21, 2022, Lane was formally sentenced by the Hennepin County District Court to three years in prison. In the plea agreement, Lane admitted he knew from his training that the manner of Floyd's restraint created a risk of death, that he heard Floyd say he couldn't breathe, and that he was aware of Floyd's deteriorating condition.^[210]

At a pre-trial hearing on June 21, 2022, Judge Cahill rejected a motion by attorneys for Kueng and Thao for a change in venue, and the judge set a trial start date in Hennepin County for October 24, 2022.^[211][212] The state offered Kueng and Thao they same plea deal they offered Lane.^[206] In exchange for pleading guilty to the state charge of aiding and abetting manslaughter, the state would drop the abetting second-degree murder charge and the pair would receive a three-year prison sentence to be served consecutively with their federal sentence, but they rejected it at a court hearing on August 15, 2022.^[213] In preparation for the trial, unlike the previous criminal trial of Chauvin and the civil rights trial of the other three offices at the scene of Floyd's death, local officials had not surrounded the courtroom building with barbed-wire security fencing and National Guard troops.^[214]

The morning of October 24, 2022, a few hours before the jury selection proceedings were set to begin, Kueng pleaded guilty to the criminal state charges of aiding and abetting manslaughter with a recommendation of 42 months in prison,^[7] to be served concurrently with his federal sentence at the Federal Correctional Institution, Elkton in Ohio.^[45][46] Later that day, Thao waved his right to a jury trial in lieu of a trial by stipulated evidence. The legal move required attorneys to submit evidence to the court by November 17, 2022, after which Cahill would have 90 days to review it and issue a verdict.^[215] Thao was to be held in a Hennepin County jail while awaiting the outcome. If he is found guilty, his state sentence could range from three to five years.^[46]

Reaction[edit | edit source]

Protests[edit | edit source]

Floyd's death resulted in a global protest movement against historic racism and police brutality. In the United States, protests of racial injustice in mid 2020 were the largest since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s, and gave way to widespread civil unrest.^[216] Protests began locally on May 26 in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area before quickly, within a few days, spreading nationwide and in over 60 countries internationally supporting Black Lives Matter. Over 2,000 cities in the United States had seen demonstrations as of June 13.^[217][218] Many of the demonstrations involved die-ins, with protestors lying down for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time initial reports Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck.^[219] While the majority of protests were peaceful,^[220] demonstrations in some cities descended into riots and looting,^[221][222] with more being marked by street skirmishes and significant police brutality, notably against peaceful protesters and reporters.^[223][224] At least 200 cities in the U.S. had imposed curfews by June 3, while more than 30 states and Washington, D.C, activated over 62,000 National Guard personnel due to the mass unrest.^{[225][226][227]}

Memorials[edit | edit source]

Tribute outside Cup Foods at Chicago Ave and E 38th St

Along Floyd's funeral procession route in Pearland, Texas, on June 9

The area near the location where Floyd was fatally arrested became a makeshift memorial throughout May 26, with many placards paying tribute to him and referencing the Black Lives Matter movement.^[228] As the day progressed, more people came to demonstrate against Floyd's death. Hundreds of people,^{[229][230][231][232]} then marched to the 3rd Precinct of the Minneapolis Police.^[231] Participants used posters and slogans with phrases such as "Justice for George", "I can't breathe", and "Black Lives Matter".^[233] On September 18, the Minneapolis City Council approved designating the section of Chicago Avenue between 37th and 39th Streets as George Perry Floyd Jr. Place, with a marker at the intersection with 38th Street where the incident took place. The intersection has been closed and occupied by demonstrators who said they won't leave until their demands regarding anti-racism and property tax are met.^[234]

A public memorial, with Al Sharpton delivering the eulogy, was held June 4 at North Central University in Minneapolis.^[235] A public viewing and a family memorial was held in Raeford, North Carolina on June 6, near Floyd's hometown.^[236] Floyd's family held a public memorial in Houston on June 8, and a private service on June 9. The family said professional boxer Floyd Mayweather paid for the services.^[237][238] Floyd's body was on public view on June 8 in his hometown of Houston. Former Vice President and the 2020 presumptive and eventual Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, met with the Floyd family privately and gave a video message at the funeral. Floyd is buried next to his mother in Pearland, Texas.^{[239][240][241]}

The length of time that Chauvin was originally reported to have had his knee on Floyd's neck, 8:46, was widely commemorated as a "moment of silence" to honor Floyd.^[242][243] It was also used in chants, protest signs, and messages,^[244] as were the words "I can't breathe".^[245]

Other reactions[edit | edit source]

A variety of people and organizations reacted to Floyd's murder. Numerous statues and monuments honoring persons or events associated with slavery and racism were vandalized, removed, or destroyed during the protests in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Aftermath[edit | edit source]

Darnella Frazier, the 17-year-old who filmed Floyd's restraint on her cell phone, received the 2020 PEN/Benenson Courage Award from PEN America.^[246][247] The award was presented to her at an awards ceremony in December 2020 by film director Spike Lee.^[246] PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel said that Frazier's act sparked a "bold movement demanding an end to systemic anti-black racism and violence at the hands of police."^[248][249] In June 2021, Frazier also received a special citation from the Pulitzer Prize committee in 2021 for her video.^[250] The staff of the Star Tribune received the prize for Breaking News Reporting for their coverage of protests.^[251]

Chokeholds and other neck restraints were banned or restricted by at least 17 state legislatures in the year after the Floyd incident.^[252]

See also[edit | edit source]

• 2020 American athlete strikes
• 2020–2022 Minneapolis–Saint Paul racial unrest
• List of killings by law enforcement officers in Minnesota
• Lists of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States
• List of law enforcement officers convicted for an on-duty killing in the United States

Notes[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

Further reading[edit | edit source]

• Dreyer, Benard P.; Trent, Maria; Anderson, Ashaunta T.; Askew, George L.; Boyd, Rhea; Coker, Tumaini R.; Coyne-Beasley, Tamera; Fuentes-Afflick, Elena; Johnson, Tiffani; Mendoza, Fernando; Montoya-Williams, Diana (September 1, 2020). "The Death of George Floyd: Bending the Arc of History Toward Justice for Generations of Children". Pediatrics. 146 (3): e2020009639. doi:10.1542/peds.2020-009639. ISSN 0031-4005. PMID 32591435.
• Hart, Carl L. (July 22, 2020). "Exaggerating Harmful Drug Effects on the Brain Is Killing Black People". Neuron. 107 (2): 215–218. doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2020.06.019. ISSN 0896-6273. PMC 7328574. PMID 32615067.

External links[edit | edit source]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Death of George Floyd.

• Complaint – State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin, Minnesota District Court, Fourth Judicial District, File No. 27-CR-20-12646. May 29, 2020.
• Amended Complaint – State of Minnesota v. Derek Michael Chauvin, Minnesota District Court, Fourth Judicial District, File No. 27-CR-20-12646. June 3, 2020.
• Complaint – State of Minnesota v. J Alexander Kueng, Minnesota District Court, Fourth Judicial District. June 3, 2020.
• Complaint – State of Minnesota v. Thomas Kiernan Lane, Minnesota District Court, Fourth Judicial District, File No. 27-CR-20-12951. June 3, 2020.
• Complaint – State of Minnesota v. Tou Thao, Minnesota District Court, Fourth Judicial District, File No. 27-CR-20-12949. June 3, 2020.
• Press Release Report: Floyd George Perry, Case No: 2020–3700. Hennepin County Medical Examiner. June 1, 2020.
• Autopsy Report, George Floyd, Deceased, ME No.: 20–3700. Hennepin County Medical Examiner. June 1, 2020. (20 pages.)
• Stipulation and Order, State of Minnesota v. City of Minneapolis Police Department, Minnesota District Court, Fourth Judicial District, File No. 27-CV-20-8182. June 8, 2020. Stipulation between City of Minneapolis and Minnesota Department of Human Rights and preliminary injunction.
• Transcripts of audio of Floyd's last moments, as recorded on Minneapolis police body camera footage and publicly filed on the state court record on July 8, 2020