The Minneapolis Police Department's top homicide detective testified that kneeling on George Floyd's neck after he had been handcuffed was "totally unnecessary," saying that "if your knee is on someone's neck — that could kill them."
Lt. Richard Zimmerman, head of the homicide division for more than 12 years, testified Friday that Derek Chauvin's actions violated policy by pressing his weight down on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes while the man was handcuffed and in a prone position. Police are not trained to kneel on a person's neck, he said.
"Once the person is cuffed, the threat level goes down all the way," the lieutenant told jurors at Chauvin's murder trial.
"How can that person hurt you?" he asked, adding that "you getting injured is way down." Keeping the person handcuffed and in a prone position "restricts their breathing," he said.
Asked by prosecutor Matthew Frank if he was ever trained to kneel on a person, Zimmerman said no.
"Because if your knee is on someone's neck — that could kill them," the lieutenant said.
Chauvin at that point raised his head at the defense table and shot a look at Zimmerman.
The potentially devastating testimony by the department's most senior officer came on the abbreviated fifth day of testimony in the closely-watched trial. Judge Peter Cahill sent jurors home early because the trial was ahead of schedule. Testimony resumes Monday.
Zimmerman said Chauvin's actions were "uncalled for" and "totally unnecessary."
"You need to get them off their chest," the veteran investigator said at one point. "If you're lying on your chest, that's constricting your breathing even more."
Zimmerman was a signatory to an open letter last year in which Minneapolis officers condemned Chauvin.
Under cross-examination, Zimmerman agreed that an unconscious person can become combative when revived, kicking and thrashing around.
Defense lawyer Eric Nelson sought to show that policing has changed significantly since Zimmerman got his training. He tried to draw attention to Zimmerman's limited use of force experience as an investigator compared to a patrol officer.
While not trained to use a knee on the neck of a suspect, Zimmerman told Nelson that officers in a fight for their life are allowed to use whatever force is reasonable and necessary.
#CNN #News #Chauvin
Coates: Detective gives damning testimony in Chauvin trial
If you’re afraid of someone ALREADY HANDCUFFED, you shouldn’t be in law enforcement (at ANY level)!
He wasn’t. If you search for Thou Tao interview on youtube. He said that Chauvin NEVER used a knee on the neck on nobody before. He wanted to kill Floyd because he knew him from before and hated him.
@L C Yes, it isn’t hard to provide pieces of evidence as if Floyd got fatal injuries caused by physical contacts during the time based on the result of the autopsy.
@Fly & Shy Yes, it isn’t hard to provide pieces of evidence as if Floyd got fatal injuries caused by physical contacts during the time based on the result of the autopsy.
@Alexander Locke Beloved: the way you ended; some say ‘all racists,’ ‘some know the dangers…”
I can factually tell you that there’s not an entire side saying cops are *all* racist pigs. Whether you specify democrats, blacks, or an amalgam–I for one don’t believe that. And if we can be objective–you realize I’m not the sole survivor.
–
When you add that another side knows the dangers faced, that sounds unrealistically exclusive.
Its not this polarizing. One can know the dangers; understand that not every cop is the same cop, and; recognize quite disturbing extenuating circumstances and painfully unfortunate disparities in manner (and outcomes) of arrest.
Would you agree with this?
@Alexander Locke NOT BEING ABLE TO GET HIM IN THE CAR DOES NOT MEAN KILL HIM TO GET HIM IN THERE!! NEVER WAS THIS A HEIGHTENED SITUATION WHERE ANY OFFICER WAS IN DANGER!! THE WHOLE TIME, I HONESTLY ONLY SAW ONE PERSON N DANGER!! U DONT KILL HIM TO GET HIM IN A CAR!! WHAT IS WRONG W/YOU??? As an Officer, u are trained to de-escalate, u are trained to be tactful.. That Man had no reason to have his knee on his neck
“so your only recent experience is through training?” “Yes” SO HE STILL KNOWS WHAT THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING AND NOT SUPPOSED TO BE DOING HES THE GUY FUCKING TRAINING THEM 🤦🏻♂️
Jack Hughes and I bet during training they were told what NOT to do
@Vanessa BEAUTY tf?
Thank you!!!
Bro the officers go through Police Academy it’s not up to the captain she keep telling them the things that are well-known that you don’t do and that is murdering a cup individual
Dude Police Academy is who trained them when it comes to you how you take down a suspect especially one in handcuffs you don’t put your knee to their neck. The police captain should not have to keep reminding his police force not to do that it’s common knowledge to us regular folk even
If Chauvin truly felt threatened throughout that ENTIRE encounter, he would not have had his hand in his pocket as he was leaning on Floyd’s neck.
Chauvin felt like the baby in the pregnant women’s stomach FLOYD put the gun on while mugging her , THE MERCENARY NOW ON AMAZON PRIME BRUTAL MARTIAL ARTS ACTION
Exactly
@Alexander Locke what does politics have to do with this and how can you assume everyone is on the left
@Sunita Mosesit was in his pocket
@mike davidson shut up , he didn’t die of an overdose , you ate probably a racist devil and have no sympathy for the guy because he doesn’t look like you, if died because he couldn’t breathe , he had a knee on his neck. Stop making excuses for bad cops that make the profession look bad .
I want them to find the EXACT person who trained Chauvin in takedowns and arrests, and ask them exactly what they trained the cops to do or not to do.
@WilliamOccamensis 👏👏👏!
@Pittsburgh Pat I see. So you’re only remitting what “they” said. That “they” said “they” did train him that way, then lied and said “they” didn’t? Is that right? Who’s “they”, and when did “they” make the original statement and contradictory statement?
@X G haha narrative, I am thoroughly sick of hearing that stupid word. Its a filler word that means ???? news people use it and know every one uses it.
absolutely.
@Andre Desrosiers what? Why are you trying to make what I said so complicated? I clearly said that the Minneapolis police said they dont train their officers to use that technique but they did, idk what u don’t understand
Handcuffing is not just about preventing access to weapons. Hands restrained tightly behind your back, that’s meant to put your whole body under duress.
@Hisbeautiful Truth yeah, now that I think on it, it is 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@X G hey i been seeing you comment on everyones post like you have anything you can add? Youre not an expert witness??
@DrJamal Jackson – Random and off topic but……mkay…?
@Nobody Knows 😉
@DrJamal Jackson except the bill was never confirmed fake
They actually do teach us in cop school that kneeling on a suspect’s neck until they die is called MURDER, and tell us not to do that.
@Rock Wilson no he didn’t
@Rock Wilson Fentanyl blood levels just like alcohol blood levels increase SIGNIFICANTLY (around 10 X ) at the moment of death and after, so, scientifically, what levels he had in his system whilst alive would be a much lower number than levels after death. There is only a post mortem reading regarding Fentanyl on George Floyd, we do not have an accurate reading whilst he was alive so all we can say is that it would be lower than post mortem.
@6ixString Studio your stupidity shows,he was NOT overdosed, NOT does it say he was. The tox screen only show what was released in the system AFTER DEATH. Eleven nanograms of fentanyl is NOTHING for a man that is over 6ft tall. Everything else is just a breakdown of THC and fentanyl. To bad you are too stupid to under stand that. NO, Floyd was NOT dying that day, he was NOT gonna OD that day, Fentanyl takes about 10-15 mins to get in the system, so NO Floyd was NOT overdosing NOT any where near overdosing.
@Mustard Sandwich So you have no problem laying face down, hands cuffed behind your back, and me pushing my knee against your neck for 9 minutes? After that 9 minutes lets see how you feel. If you die then it was on you right? Something you did that caused you to die right? Want to take me up on that challenge?
@6ixString Studio I agree Chauvin should do time he killed Floyd, that is in the official autopsy report. Somewhere along the line you ASSUME, I said Chauvin was NOT guilty, you are so WRONG. From what I see of your posts you are playing both sides. I am not.
Police claimed crowd was hostile, but never asked for backup.
@william chase hahahahahahahaha…not, watch the trial video. One hand was on his hip, the other was on floyd’s back. People should shut their mouths unless they watch the trial live stream everyday.
@Blackredneck yeah, a year after he should be constantly crying or staring blankly and catatonic.
@D A EXACTLY. ALL 4 are guilty of homicide.
No backup needed when they had 3+ already there. How many cops do you think they have available
PRECISELY, Candy. 🎯❗️
They were PLEADING for the crooked cops to STOP. They knew they were helpless. I’ve seen comments of people saying that the people in the crowd should have attacked the cops…however, those people were in the presence of ARMED crooks/bullies/k!llerz! There was no way that there would not have been more than one mvrd3r – Mr. Floyd would have been one of AT LEAST two people senselessly taken from this world ….likely several more.
Peace and love ♥️ to you, Fam.
Stay safe.
Chauvin mightve done this before but luckily for him and his victims, his previous victims survived. His partner is an accessory to all his crimes. No one rats on a fellow cop.
He’d done it before, no doubt. Where is the review of that cop’s arrests?
Chauvin had used deadly force with neck restraint before, in 2016 when a 16 year old boys mother called the cops on her son for domestic violence. Chauvin held that young man on the ground, prone position with a knee on his neck for a few minutes. Luckily other officers got him off of that young man. The young man is 21 years old now.
You don’t commit a f****** crime and ask your partner to cover for it if you’re a cop. If your partner commits a crime and wants you to cover for it He’s a f****** rat and that’s why you send them to the rat squad so they can beat them against the wall and throw them to the station Jack Russell. They love shaking rats to death
@Mark Maurer Ahem: Tamir Rice. They lied that people were in the park they saw a person with what they believed to be a gun in a dangerous situation. so it was “necessary” to shoot right away.
How it really happened: the car arrived had barely time to come to a standstill, officer hopped out from the passenger seat, and shot IMMEDIATELY. 8 seconds maybe. Killed an eleven year old boy with a toy gun.
The driver was complicit.
a) if they thought there could be danger why not assess the situation and drive in so close
b) he then confirmed the lame story.
They were not aware that there are security cameras in the park, the boy had been alone all the time, the footage proved it. (it was lame anyway because where were the witnesses, the allegedly endangered civilians in the park.
They also did not give first aid, (an FBI agent was nearby, heard the shot and came to the scene). Plus: they were rough with the mother when she came to pick up her son and was in hysterics of course.
The shooter got off (after the indictment, the prosecutor working the Grand Jury) it never went to trial. I do not know why the DOJ did not send in a special prosecutor. (that was under coward Obama). If a person is indicted and the prosecutor WANTS a trial he gets one. And if he doesn’t want one he plays the jury like a fiddle.
I assume the lying collegue also faced no consequences.
Chauvin only kept his knee there because he wasn’t having the crowd have one up on him and embarrass him. He knew what he was doing was wrong but because he’s a narcissist he can’t loose.
That’s exactly what I said! It’s like he was showing all of the people he was the boss.
Prove what was on his mind. Oh wait, NO ONE CAN. It’s impossible to prove intent unless he literally wrote what he was going to do today down. I expect innocent or a very minor sentence. Remember, Floyd’s family prematurely received $27 million.
It’s like a tragic, racist version of “When keeping it real goes horribly wrong”.
No, he intended to kill him, that’s why he used the knee in the first place. He hated Floyd, they worked together before.
@Fly & Shy prove mens rea.
A homicide detective knows a murder when he sees one
The evidence clearly shows he does of an overdose
@Bobby Ward He is going to jail, I think. A matter of how long. If he were wise, he would plead guilty to a lesser charge and do his time and get out while he is still able to live a life. Otherwise, he could be in jail most of the rest of his life if he does not ask for a nice plea bargain.
@Bad Noxin They are when we are talking about a clearly respected homicide detective not defending a fellow officer. He is doing that at the risk of backlash from fellow officers and detectives even.
@Chris Denson You would go to jail for drunk driving but you might not go to jail for killing the person. Let me know if that’s over your head.
@Peter Famous you obviously don’t know the law little fella. I would 100% be getting charged with that person’s death because the law says I shouldn’t be on the road. Kinda like the law says he shouldn’t have had his knee on a American citizen’s neck. If he was high or not is irrelevant. He is American!
First a former supervisor and now a veteran detective tell the court that Chauvin’s actions were outside of their training and expected behavior. The defense trying to discredit the detective likely won’t sit well with the jury.
@Sherri Cason So true sister, He was so arrogant hope he rots in hell.
Hopefully 🙏
@Sherri Cason you can’t prove intent. You’re so brainwashed it’s stupid.
Glad you know the jury’s opinions. However the LT hasn’t been a cop since 1993 and signed off on the tactic being used in his department. Has the LT dealt with arresting someone on Fentanyl? Likely not. Did Chauvin knowingly and purposefully cause Floyd’s death? Very hard to prove.
Anybody that’s even taken a first aid course knows that lack of oxygen for more than 2 minutes is deadly.
@rsbmg Oh believe me we won’t take your word for it, because you don’t know what you’re talking about. Unless you are a professional coroner, chiropractor, or trauma specialist, then you tell us what you think killed Mr. Floyd and don’t say overdose because that won’t fly either, jack
Floyd was on Fentanyl. Get it right.
@Mike Nelson And you read the toxicology report I guess
@Mike Nelson oh I got that from your juvenile comment Jack
I know I had to have missed it, but Chauvin dragged Floyd from the opposite side door Floyd was originally placed in, thusly Floyd was handcuffed and INSIDE the police vehicle, all the officers had to do was close both doors. Chauvin just wanted to drag him out unto the ground and be brutal to show dominance. Chauvin went way beyond even excessive to murder.
You don’t know what you’re talking about. Floyd was on Fentanyl.
@Mo Creeker
I am still waiting for the justification for kneeling on the man’s neck for over nine minutes. all you’ve done is give what you seem to believe are excuses for the display of police brutality that caused a restrained man to lose his life as witnessed by the whole world.
@Br Black
when arrested do they then give up the right to life? Q.E.D already posed this question to you and you have yet to adequately respond. your heart must be wretched to attempt to steer this narrative as you have.
@Q. E. D.if you’re going to quote me do it correctly. I spelled realize not realise. My comment was a relevant explanation to a previous post and it’s not necessary for me to explain your over simplified question to my answer. Its clear you have don’t have a baseline understanding of law enforcements responsibility to the citizens they protect and themselves.
@bxsmash I don’t remember stating anyone gives up the right to life. Police however do have to the authority to take life. I don’t think most people could assume someone’s heart by reading a couple post.
Their actual argument was that everyone knows that human physiology is in constant flux making it impossible to know the precise level of murder that it takes to actually kill a human being. Oh wait, did we say murder?
Word!
Prove that it was murder.
@Mike Nelson Why are you asking someone to prove it when there is footage of the whole thing? That makes no sense.
@Cj Roberts the video doesn’t prove anything. The elements of murder require mens rea which is impossibly to prove and the judge knows this.
@Mike Nelson If it was impossible to prove then nobody would ever get found guilty of murder, and there is a lot of evidence in the footage that shows evidence that this was deliberate, plus the fact his defence just isn’t in line with said evidence.
In mental health restraint, we NEVER put our hands, knees or otherwise on an unruly patients neck. And Floyd was distresses and in panic, not violent.
@alex godin I like how you strawman and glaze over the point like you don’t understand it. That’s adorable.
@argon65 lol they don’t. If you’re respectful and follow commands. (And most importantly…didn’t do anything wrong). I’ve never seen a bad situation for someone, of any color… you detracted earlier and said blacks people get shot more often by cops or something to that degree and it’s not true. Stop lying.
@Peter Famous bro I love you. Dropping booombs
@Juliet Capulet what’s not to understand? I’m not confused like you are frantic 🤷🏻♂️
@alex godin Oh my God. I’m really sorry. I didn’t realize you actually are that stupid. I thought you were just messing around.
The human anatomy hasn’t changed, putting your knee on top of someone’s neck will kill them.
@LAteen Being claustrophobic can lead to a panic attack which can lead to one feeling like they can’t breathe! What facts have I left out? George Floyd did drugs, he had a high amount of drugs in his system. You’re acting like he just overdosed, yet no autopsies have concluded that as his cause of death. All three autopsies have ruled his cause of death a homicide, yet you constantly say it was an overdose.
@Levi Laxton I’ve heard that it was a combination of all three. And I don’t believe it was an accident. Derek Chauvin was obviously trained to turn a suspect on his side once he is motionless. Derek knew what to do, but instead, he decided to keep his knee on George Floyd after he was motionless and after the paramedics had already arrived.
Derek most likely did this on purpose, so even if it wasn’t racism, it’s still murder.
The way Floyd acted in his car maybe because of the drugs he was on.
I will, however thank you for the kind-toned comment.
No matter how many years go by your statement will always be truth.
@Levi Laxton all that typing to not understand what it means to be human. You machine.
No it won’t. Autopsy said it didn’t.
When a man is begging, begging to sit up, a big man calling out for his dead mother, and a cop, with a knee on his neck saying well get up then …it should end there… Absolutely disgusting,that cop was enjoying himself and being “the man” .
Dude he was saying he can’t breathe the moment the cops started talking to him. Guess his body wasn’t taking the fentanyl to well
You need to read the toxicology report and research more about fentanyl and other drugs such as meth, their concentrations and combinations for you to say its lethal. What Floyd had in his system were not lethal even in combinations with meth and other drugs. Learn your facts.
@Dylan peres Not everyone is able to work up a high tolerance to opioids like yours.
@Nychelle Brewer oh wow great insult. 10/10 amazing.
Have you even watched the full 30+ minute video?
Yep! He’s a sociopath.
No one needs to be told what chauvin did was absolutely wrong and uncalled for
@Roger Smith cops aren’t supposed to punish people. When ever possible they are supposed to safely get them to a judge who makes those decisions. Cops are not judge and jury.
@Roger Smith Why did Chauvin pull a gun on George when he hadn’t done anything threatening or violent. Black men in this country know how a lot of white cops treat them. And this isn’t the first run in these two had. If you insist on being a 🍆 I’m going to insist you 🖕
@Roger Smith You wouldn’t feel that way if that was your family member. Stop it.
But was it second or third degree murder…. likely not.
@Victoria Williams so fan 11ng/ml of Fentanyl and meth.
Four officers against one handcuffed suspect. Yeah, the only “danger” they were feeling was the wink-wink, nudge-nudge kind.
@Nicholas E.K. are you stupid or you just don’t pay attention?
@Nychelle Brewer I spelt it correctly. Not my fault that once my comment is srny out gets distorted.
RAMBO , THE MERCENARY NOW ON AMAZON PRIME BRUTAL MARTIAL ARTS ACTION
You obviously have never fought someone on drugs who is 280 pounds.
@Brent Nelson Just your mom that one time. But it wasn’t honestly a “fight” fight. We ended up talking, sat down for some tea and biscuits afterward. I’m surprised she never told you about that!
The defense lawyer is so desperate he’s making anything up.
@Mike Nelson : Open your eyes and see the truth…I know it is hard but try anyway.
@Mike Nelson yeah nice try
@D Man I heard him say that and actually had to rewind and make sure I heard it right.
@Mark7 GTI prove the intent. Prove mens rea 😤
He is grasping at straws and knows he’s done…