Derek Chauvin Trial Continues Into Its 13th Day

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As the trial for the former Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, who kneeled on the neck of George Floyd for over nine minutes, continues on its 13th day, a retired forensic pathologist, Dr. David feller told the court that in his opinion, The cause of George Floyd's death should be changed from homicide to undetermined.

Derek Chauvin is charged with manslaughter for kneeling on Floyd's neck on Memorial day of 2020.

Other medical experts who have now testified in the past 13 days have stated that Floyd died because of low oxygen levels from Chauvin's knee on Mr. Floyd's neck.

According to Fowler, drugs that Floyd may have consumed like “fentanyl and methamphetamine” contributed to the death of Floyd. Fowler added, “There is exposure to vehicle exhausts. So potentially, Carbon monoxide poisoning or at least an effect from increased carbon monoxide in his bloodstream.”

Fowler does not think that carbon monoxide caused George Floyd's death.

Dr. Fowler testified that Chauvin weighed about 140 pounds. Fowler concluded that under 23% of Chauvin's body weight was applied to Floyd's neck.

Prosecutor Eric Nelson asked Dr. Fowler if Officer Chauvin's neck had, “impacted the structures of Mr. Floyd's neck.”

Fowler responded, “No, it did not. None of the vital structures were in the area where the knee appeared to be from the videos.”

Elsewhere on the trails, Fowler said that, “all of his injuries were in areas where the knee was not,” referring to George Floyd.

This led Fowler to believe that the amount of force applied to Floyd’s neck was too little to create bruising in the testimony.

Fowler concluded that Floyd had died because of a cardiac event.

He explained that Floyd had signs of a sudden cardiac event, a large heart, carbon monoxide exposure, narrow blood vessels, and drugs in Floyd's system. Fowler said that because of the many factors that contributed to Floyd's death, it should be categorized as undetermined.

Throughout Dr. David Fowler's cross-examination, prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell asked Fowler a cascade of questions.

Blackwell challenged Fowler's conclusions that carbon monoxide may have had a role in the death of Floyd. Blackwell asked what sources Dr. Fowler depended on in his determination of Floyd's death and more.

After these 13 days of trials, the case will still go on.

Peter Cahill, a judge in the trial says that he expects closing arguments to begin early next week on Monday.