The State's next witness is Sgt. Jody Stiger of the LAPD. He has been an officer there since 1993 and "currently serves as an aide to the office of the Inspector General."
The Office of the Inspector General "oversees the police department and conducts performance audits, reviews use-of-force incidents and handles complaints of officer misconduct."
Sgt. Stiger has trained almost 3,000 police officers in use-of-force tactics.
Stiger testified that after a close review of Chauvin's actions with the arrest of George Floyd, it is his expert opinion that "excessive force" was used.
Court has recessed early for the day and the jury will return tomorrow morning at 9:15 a.m. CT. At that time, Sgt. Stiger will continue testifying.
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Cross-examination of Dr. Tobin: Chauvin's counsel had Dr. Tobin confirm that he was not paid by the State for his testimony.
Chauvin's defense counsel also tried to get Dr. Tobin to agree that fentanyl could have caused respiratory depression within the same timeframe as restraint-caused respiratory depression.
On re-direct, Dr. Tobin is asked about drugs and Floyd's pre-existing conditions and their possible roles in Floyd’s death.
Dr. Tobin denied that pre-existing conditions caused Floyd’s death.
Q: “Any evidence that he died from methamphetamine?”
Dr. Tobin: the toe of Chauvin's boot is lifted off of the ground so that means that half of Chauvin's body weight plus half of his gear weight - for a total of 91.5 pounds - is coming down directly onto George Floyd's neck.
This is being depicted in Exhibit 943 and it is a compelling exhibit.
Dr. Tobin: the first 5 minutes and 3 seconds of Floyd on the ground: his oxygen levels were enough to keep his brain alive b/c he continued to speak and he was able to verbalize words.
Chauvin's counsel objected & asked for a sidebar after this testimony.
Critical testimony from Dr. Tobin: “Mr Floyd died from a low-level of oxygen and this caused damage to his brain...and it also caused a [pulseless electrical activity] arrhythmia that caused his heart to stop.”
“The cause of the low-level of oxygen was shallow breathing, small breaths...shallow breaths that weren’t able to carry the air through his lungs down to the essential areas [in] his lungs.”
“There are a number of forces that led to the size of his breath becoming so small.”
“He’s turned prone on the street, that he has the handcuffs in place combined with the street, and then that he has a knee on his neck, and that he has a knee on his back."
The State's next witness today is Senior Special Agent James D. Reyerson, of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. He led his office's investigation into Floyd's death and conducted several interviews.
The Court has recessed for lunch.
Senior Special Agent Reyerson testifies that two cars in the Floyd case were searched twice & processed twice by crime scene investigators. 6 months after Floyd died, they found half-chewed pills that had Floyd’s DNA on them.
Sgt. Stiger, (LAPD) and use of force expert, has resumed his place on the witness stand and the prosecution is still doing its Direct Examination of him.
Stiger is testifying using a photograph showing Chauvin's left knee on Floyd's neck and his right knee on Floyd's back.
This position was "for the entirety of the restraint period."
The State's first post-lunch witness is Officer Nicole Mackenzie, who does presentations every year to officers regarding medical treatment to individuals in crisis.
Officer Mackenzie testifies that just because an arrestee can speak does NOT mean that he/she is able to breathe "adequately."
Now on cross, Officer Mackenzie is being asked about fentanyl and the use of Narcan by officers when there is a suspected drug overdose from opioids.