Independent Autopsy Concludes George Floyd Death Was ‘Homicide Caused by Asphyxia’

An independent autopsy ordered by George Floyd’s family has ruled that the 46-year-old’s death was an asphyxia-related homicide.

“Sustained pressure on the right side of Mr. Floyd’s carotid artery impeded blood flow to the brain, and weight on his back impeded his ability to breathe. The independent examiners found that weight on the back, handcuffs and positioning were contributory factors because they impaired the ability of Mr. Floyd’s diaphragm to function,” Floyd family attorney Ben Crump said in a Monday statement.

The results from the family-ordered autopsy come contrary to the preliminary autopsy cited last week by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office’s criminal complaint against Derek Chauvin, which claimed there were “no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation.”

Chauvin, a 19-year veteran of the Minneapolis Police Department, has been fired from the force. He was later arrested on Friday and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with Floyd’s death. 

“George Floyd was a healthy young man,” Crump argued during a live news conference.

Crump’s comments during the news conference pushed back against the preliminary autopsy, which argued that a combination of “being restrained by police” and Floyd’s “underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease” likely contributed to his death. 

Though asthma and heart disease were listed as contributing factors to Garner’s death, the medical examiner ruled his death a homicide. 

It’s worth noting that both Floyd and Garner were unarmed when stopped by police. 

Sourse: sputniknews.com