Dr. Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson performed the second autopsy (for the victim's family) on the body of George Floyd. They ruled the CAUSE OF DEATH as "mechanical asphyxia" or what we used to refer to as "positional asphyxia." They ruled the MANNER OF DEATH a homicide.
This seems partially inconsistent w/the preliminary, summary statement in the court paperwork associated w/the arrest of officer Derek Chauvin. That paperwork said, "the autopsy revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation."
Although I dealt w/hundreds of autopsy reports in my time as a homicide prosecutor, I've spoken today w/two medical examiners to make sure I had a clear and accurate understanding of these seemingly different opinions. George Floyd died of an inability to breath due to pressure
being put on his neck and his torso, making it impossible to draw in enough oxygen to remain alive. This is called mechanical or positional asphyxiation. It matters not that there may have been no observable evidence of "traumatic asphyxia." George was not manually strangled
nor was he struck in the throat in a way that could have produced trauma to his throat or windpipe. He was essentially smothered to death by officers who unlawfully restrained him in a way that made it impossible to take in enough air to stay alive. Put another way,
the officers put so much pressure on his throat & torso that he could not breathe &, as a result, he died. It's also important to note that the second autopsy revealed significant abrasions to the left side of George Floyd's face. That is a product of
his face being ground against the asphalt by Derek Chauvin applying significant pressure to the right side of George's head/face/throat with his knee. This was a prolonged, cruel, intentional and purposeful murder. Justice must be served.
