Defense expert says cardiac problems and carbon monoxide contributed to Floyd’s death
On Wednesday in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's death, defense witness Dr. David Fowler testified that Floyd was exposed to carbon monoxide from the squad car's tailpipe as he was held on the ground, contributing to his death. He also said that Floyd's preexisting heart problems played a role.
Video Transcript
- So in my opinion, Mr Floyd had a sudden cardiac arrhythmia, or cardiac arrhythmia, due to his atherosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease-- or you can write that down multiple different ways-- during his restraint and subdue by the police, or restraint by the police. And then his significant contributory conditions would be-- since I've already put the heart disease in part one-- he would have the toxicology-- the fentanyl and methamphetamine-- there is exposure to a vehicle exhaust-- so potentially carbon monoxide poisoning or at least an effect from increased carbon monoxide in his bloodstream-- and parigangleonoma or the other natural disease process that he had. So all of those combine to cause Mr. Floyd's death.
