MINNEAPOLIS – The defense deflected responsibility for the death of George Floyd away from police officer Derek Chauvin to Floyd himself. In opening arguments in Chauvin’s murder trial, defense attorney Eric. Nelson made two points to jurors:
> George Floyd died from drugs and a weak heart.
> Chauvin was following standard police take-down procedures.
“The evidence will show that Mr. Floyd died of a cardiac arrhythmia that occurred as a result of hypertension, coronary disease, the ingestion of methamphetamine and fentanyl and the adrenaline flowing through his body,” Nelson said. “All of which acted to further compromise an already compromised heart.” About Chauvin, who is charged with using a knee chokehold on Floyd, was doing exactly as he was trained to do when someone is resisting arrest, Nelson said. Also, Nelson said, Chauvin was finding himself amid rising tensions from a crowd of onlookers. “They’re screaming at ’em, causing the officers to divert their attention from the care of Mr. Floyd to the threat that was growing in front of them,” Nelson said.
Nelson. Defense argument: Chauvin was doing his duty in a deteriorating situation.