Attorneys for George Floyd‘s family will announce the results of an independent autopsy into his death on Monday amid a national outcry for justice after a white officer was caught on camera kneeling on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes before his death.
Fox News contributor and forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden was one of two doctors hired by the Floyd family to conduct an independent review after prosecutors said a preliminary finding from the official autopsy concluded the combined effects of being restrained, potential intoxicants in Floyd’s system and his underlying health issues, including heart disease, likely contributed to his death.
Baden has conducted other independent reviews in similar cases of police brutality including that of Eric Garner, a black man who was placed in a chokehold by New York police who were attempting to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes and would not relent even as he pleaded that he could not breathe.
Baden told Fox News on Monday he unable to comment until after a press conference scheduled for 2 p.m. local time.
GEORGE FLOYD FAMILY ENLISTS DR. MICHAEL BADEN TO PERFORM SECOND AUTOPSY
Baden traveled to Minneapolis over the weekend to conduct his review, alongside forensic pathologist Dr. Allecia Wilson, even as thousands of protesters nationwide took to the streets to condemn police brutality.
Video taken of Floyd’s arrest over a suspected counterfeit $20 bill shows former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, 44, kneeling on Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, including nearly three minutes after Floyd stopped moving and talking.
In this Monday, May 25, 2020, frame from video provided by Darnella Frazier, a Minneapolis officer kneels on the neck of a handcuffed man who was pleading that he could not breathe in Minneapolis. Four Minneapolis officers involved in the arrest of a George Floyd who died in police custody were fired Tuesday. (Darnella Frazier via AP)
Floyd fell to the ground as police were attempting to put him in the squad car, saying he was claustrophobic, according to the complaint.
Floyd can be heard on video saying “I can’t breathe,” numerous times.
Chauvin was arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers who stood by and watched the incident unfold without intervening have not been arrested or charged in the case despite cries from the community for swift legal action.
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Another layer in the case was revealed on Sunday after the attorney for Floyd’s family, Benjamin Crump said Chauvin must have known Floyd before the incident that resulted in his death because the two worked a night club together as recently as last year, its former owner said.
The club owner said she was unsure if Chauvin and Floyd knew each other while they both worked at the same venue.
“[Floyd’s] family has been notified by the owner of a club that Derek Chauvin was an off-duty police officer while George Floyd was a security guard. And so they had to overlap,” Crump said on CBS’ “Face The Nation.” “That is going to be an interesting aspect to this case and hopefully upgrading these charges to first-degree murder because we believe he knew who George Floyd was.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
