In the Derek Chauvin trial in the death of George Floyd Wednesday, a focus on use of force, investigation, and forensics.
Expert use of force witness with the Los Angeles Police Department, Sgt. Jody Stiger, testified that based on what’s “objectively reasonable,” no force should have been used on a handcuffed and prone Floyd who had stopped resisting.
“It appears that his knees in a position where he’s utilizing body weight, his left knee being in the neck area of Mr. Floyd and his right knee being in the back,” Stiger said.
Stiger also said the crowd at 38th and Chicago was not what he would define as hostile which would involve throwing things at officers or physically attacking them.
“I did not perceive them as a threat,” he said.
On cross examination, Chauvin’s attorney Eric Nelson pointed out that Stiger was not trained in the Minneapolis Police Department. He asked Stiger if someone in custody had ever feigned an illness to avoid arrest, if a person who’s been handcuffed can be a threat, and about the notion of “control the head, control the body.”
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal apprehension, Special Agent James Reyerson took the jury through the investigative process. He described how the defense’s later viewing of the evidence led to the discovery of pill fragments in both Floyd’s Mercedes-Benz SUV and squad 320, adding that the cars were secure from any interference. Later, a BCA forensic scientist, who also missed them in photos before the cars were re-processed, said based on the information she had, she was looking primarily for blood samples, of which she found eight.
Reyerson was asked on cross examination if he thought Floyd was saying “I ate too many drugs,” in clip from police body camera video. Reyerson, unlike Stiger, said, “yes.” After shown more context of the video from the state, Reyerson returned to the stand after a break to say he actually heard “I don’t do no drugs.”
Reyerson also testified that Chauvin did appear to keep his body weight on Floyd for minutes after he went motionless.
Two forensic scientists connected to the investigation testified blood and pill fragments containing meth and fentanyl were found in the backseat of the squad car. Photos from inside the Mercedes showed two boxes of suboxone, a drug used to treat opioid addiction. The pills found had pharmaceutical markings to make them appear like they contained oxymorons and acetaminophen.
