MINNEAPOLIS – Police officer Derek Chauvin’s defense attorney declared that Chauvin’s actions when George Floyd died in police restraint last May were what a reasonable officer would do. In closing arguments after three weeks of testimony and evidence, Eric Nelson said: “The standard is what were the facts that were known to this officer at the precise moment he used force and what would a reasonable police officer have done.” Nelson also repeated doubts about what caused Floyd’s death, saying a reasonable conclusion could be Floyd’s health, including pre-existing conditions; his pain-killer addiction; and even car fumes on the street. All these, he said, are as plausible as saying death was due to Chauvin’s 9 minutes and 29 seconds of holding him face-down in hand-cuffed restraint. To the prosecution’s point that Chauvin was negligent in not attempting resuscitation even after Floyd stopped breathing, Nelson said that bystanders watching Floyd’s arrest and restraint were a concern for Chauvin. The officer did not start CPR because the scene wasn’t safe, Nelson said.
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GEORGE FLOYD MURDER TRIAL
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Nelson. Repeatedly he apologized to jurors for being long-winded in his closing argument. At one point Judge Peter Cahill stopped Nelson and ordered a lunch break. After lunch Nelson resumed. All told, he talked 2-1/2 hours.