Thread by @ChaoStrib

CHAUVIN TRIAL DAY 27 watch live here starting at 9 a.m. for closing arguments (NOTE: Please REFRESH your window closer to the start time and hit play to load the live feed.) #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial: Watch live: strib.mn/3v7yVyz

State begins its closing arguments after the judge read jury instructions #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"His name was George Perry Floyd Jr. and he was born on Oct. 14, 1973 in Fayetteville, North Carolina," says prosecutor Steve Schleicher #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Nine minutes and 29 seconds, nine minutes and 29 seconds. During this time George Floyd struggled, desperate to breathe." Schleicher says, adding he was "trapped" on pavement that was as "unwielding" as the men on him #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Pavement "lacerated" George's knuckles as he
pushed against street with his knuckles and face "so desperate to breathe," Schleicher says. "The pavement tearing into his skin." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher says there was no "super human strength" that day #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher says George called police "Mr. Officer" and "He pleaded with Mr. Officer. George Floyd's final words were... 'Please, I can't breathe.' And he said those words to Mr. Officer. He said those words to the defendant." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

But Chauvin did not help, Schleicher says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"George Floyd was not a threat to anyone," Schleicher says, later lightly pounding his hand onto the lectern when saying no courage was shown that day #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"All that was required was some compassion," Schleicher says. "Humans need that." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He heard him but he just didn't listen. He continued to push him down, to grind into him, to shimmy, to twist his hand," Schleicher says of Chauvin. "When he was unable to breathe, the defendant continued..." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher grows more forceful in tone talking about how Chauvin continued to "grind into him" and "hold him down" after ambulance arrived. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He was completely limp. The defendant had to know that. He was there. He was on top of him," Schleicher says. "He was on top of him." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He had to know," Schleicher says after stressing the 9 minutes and 29 seconds #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"What the defendant did to George Floyd killed him," Schleicher says. "It was ruled a homicide." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher addresses potential empathy for police. "Imagining a police officer committing a crime might be the most difficult thing to set aside," he tells jurors now. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"This case is not called the state of MN vs the police, it is not" Schleicher says after noting it's state vs Chauvin. "...this is not a prosecution of the police;" it's a prosecution of the defendant, he says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"The defendant... that day his badge just wasn't in the right place. The defendant was a police officer. He was... the defendant is not on trial for being a police officer..." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He knew better; he just didn't do better," Schleicher says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"What the defendant did is not policing. What the defendant did is assault," Schleicher says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"It was not necessary, it was gratuitous... and he did it on purpose, no question. This was not an accident. He did not trip and fall and find his knee on George Floyd's neck," Schleicher says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"The bystanders were powerless, they were powerless to do a thing. The defendant, he chose ego over policing," Schleicher says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"...this is not the trial of George Floyd," Schleicher says, noting the drug use and fake $20 bill. "He is not on trial. He didn't get a trial when he was alive, and he is not on trial here." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher says George was complaint in giving name and walking over to squad with Officers Lane and Kueng. "Where was the resistance?" #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He tried to explain himself to the officers that he had anxiety, that he had claustrophobia," he says of George's reaction to squad backseat that looked like a "cage" #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"People have emotions. People have things happen to them. The police train for this. You don't get to meet police on your best day often..." Schleicher says, adding a "whole range" of humanity out there with a range of reactions #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin takes notes constantly while Schleicher talks #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Defense attorney Eric Nelson is looking up at Schleicher/rest of the courtroom while Chauvin most keeps gaze down at his yellow legal pad where he takes notes. He looks up at video/George being pushed into squad car #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin keeps eyes down as prosecutor plays video of George being forced onto his side on the street #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher notes that Floyd thanked the officers when he was initially let onto his knees outside of the car, but then the officers pushed him down onto his side and then placed him on his stomach #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"They take him incredibly out of the recovery position" and place him prone on his stomach, Schleicher says "Proning him was completely unnecessary and this is where the excessive force begins."#GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Believe your eyes. What you saw, you saw," Schleicher says after asking jurors to use their "common sense" about whether George would have live "but for" the officers' actions #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher's "believe your eyes" harken back to prosecutor Jerry Blackwell's similar statements during opening statements on March 29 #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher tells jurors they don't have to accept that the squad car's carbon monoxide killed him or that the bystanders were a threat, or that "he chose at that moment to die of heart disease." "Is that common sense or is that nonsense?" he asks #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher reviews the jury instruction that says Chauvin's actions only have to be a "substantial causal factor" in the death and that other contributing factors don't preclude him from criminal liability #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"believe your eyes," Schleicher says again #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher says George's death was not an OD. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"You heard him. You saw him. He was not impervious to pain," Schleicher says in attempt to rule out excited delirium as cause of death #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"This wasn't carbon monoxide. That was just a story, and it's wrong," he says of defense bringing up the poisonous gas as a contributor to cause of death. He notes the squad car was a hybrid vehicle #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Even Dr. Fowler was critical" no one gave Floyd medical care, Schleicher says, bringing up state's surprising flipping of the defense's expert pathologist on the witness stand last Wednesday #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher shows picture of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck. Chauvin keeps eyes down as he takes notes #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher plays clip/bystander video showing Chauvin's knee on George's neck. Chauvin does not look up. Schleicher shows some autopsy pictures of George's face, shoulders and knuckle scraped from pavement. Chauvin looked up quickly at first then down #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher goes over third-degree murder charge, that it must be an "imminently dangerous" act performed without regard for human life #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Some attorneys have said if jurors convict Chauvin on murd3 they shud also convict on manslaughter2 b/c elements for one covers the other. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin looks up a few times as Schleicher plays police bodycam video of bystanders yelling at officers #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

N '19 formr MPD officer MohamedNoor was tried on the same counts facing Chauvin & was convictd/murd3 & manslaughter2. His case was upheld on appeal but will be reviewed by MNSupremeCourt, which could impact Chauvin if he is convictd/same counts #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher played video/Thomas Lane bodycam and says officers showed "indifference." Chauvin did not look up. Schleicher says officers picked rock from squad tire, complained about smell/George's feet & Chauvin ignored Lane, who askd abt flippg 2 side #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher reposts pic/Chauvin kneeling on George's neck, notes a 9yo witness knew it was wrong. "His negligence includes his failure to act," he says regarding manslaughter2 charge. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He knew better, he didn't do better," Schleicher says, adding he also stopped off-duty firefighter at scene from helping #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Was this just OK?" or justified b/c he was an officer? Schleicher says. "It was not," he tells jurors. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"The law does not provide an excuse for police abuse, it does not," Schleicher says, showing the pic of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd again. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher says the issue is what a "reasonable" officer would do, not what Floyd or bystanders would/should have done. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher plays squad video where Chauvin tells bystander Floyd was big and might have been on drugs. Says officers can use force to respond to a "threat," not to a "risk" bc everyone could pose a risk and being large is not a crime. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Being on drugs is not a threat, Schleicher says, adding that the defense's use of force expert testified last week that being large and on drugs alone do not justify use of force #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"It's not good enough. It's not procedure. It's not the use of force procedure. It's not following the rules," Schleicher says of Chauvin's reasoning #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Schleicher attacks defense claim that bystanders posed threat to officers. "What?" he says, adding Chauvin does not look concerned in still image shown to jurors #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"They're expressing concern. They're not doing anything," he says of bystanders, adding it's not justification for murder #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"They were strangers, but you can't say they didn't care, you can't say that," Schleicher says of witnesses to Floyd's adding. They were "chosen by faith," he says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"All they could do, all they could do was watch and gather what they could. Gather their memories... gather those precious recordings" and bring them here, Schleicher says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"You can believe your own eyes. This case is exactly what you thought... It's exactly what you knew. It's what you felt in your gut. It's what you know in your heart," Schleicher says ending approximately 1hr 45 minute closing argument. BREAK 20 minutes #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Defense Attorney Eric Nelson begins his closings #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson can only give one statement now. The state will offer a short rebuttal when he's done, and then jurors will begin deliberations. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson begins by addressing presumption/innocence, noting Chauvin does not have to prove innocence. Chauvin took off face mask sits upright w/hands laced in front of him, looking up and round more than when state gave closing. Not taking notes #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson stresses state's burden to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin smiles lightly when Nelson makes case against "fanciful" and "capricious" circumstances and gives example of aliens inhabiting his body #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson urges jurors to read jury instructions carefully b/c attorneys will pick out portions that work in their favor. Asks them to review all of the evidence while they deliberate, and that some videos are longer than clips shown in court. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Lawyers like to present evidence that favors them," Nelson says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says carbon monoxide issue was rebutted by state expert Dr. Tobin, who said Floyd oxygen saturation was 98%. Says he could argue "this wasn't asphyxiation b/c 98% oxygen level" but that's not "intellectually honest" b/c his blood was reoxygenatd #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson is raising the issue to urge jurors to look at all evidence and compare it, "test it," "challenge it." Urges them to start from presumption of innocence "and see how far the state can get," adding state has failed proof beyond reasonable doubt #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says meeting the elements of a crime is like making chocolate chip cookies -- if you miss one ingredient you can't make them. (I've seen this analogy at other closing before.) #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

If one element is missing in support of the charges, "it's a not guilty verdict," Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says "the reasonable police officer standard" is the standard isn't what the officer "should have done" or "could have done differently." It's what facts officer knew at time using force & what a reasonable officer would have done #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"There are things that a police officer is entitled to take into consideration above and beyond the facts," Nelson says, adding their experience and training and department policy play roles in using force #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

The specific environment of the arrest (yard vs public urban environment), crime in the area, etc. can be considered, he says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Keeping the scene secure and the safety of the scene are also considered, he says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

The safety of other officers, civilians and the person being arrested are considered, Nelson adds. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

They take into account their experience with the subject from the beginning, middle and end, Nelson says, adding that past behavior is best prediction of future behavior. "It can change in an instant," he says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Throughout the course of this trial the state has focused your attention on 9 minutes and 29 seconds," Nelson says, adding "proper analysis" is to consider it in the "totality of the circumstances" of the incident, staring w/dispatch to call #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin takes notes and glances up at copy of dispatch call Nelson shows to jurors. Chauvin's head is cocked to the side as he listens intently #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says the audio of dispatch showed it was code 3 (lights and sirens ASAP to scene). #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin and Thao had first been dispatched to call but Lane and Kueng took it over and went to scene instead, Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"The situation is dynamic" and fluid, Nelson says, adding that dispatcher testified that there were sounds of a struggle after Lane and Kueng arrived and before Chauvin and Thao arrived as back up. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin watches as Nelson plays bodycam video of MPLS Park Police officer that shows Chauvin and Thao arriving in their squad. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin is looking up more at Nelson and monitors displaying evidence now than he did during state's closing argument. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"What would a reasonable police officer see in this instant?" Nelson asks while showing a still of Lane and Kueng trying to force Floyd into squad as Chauvin and Thao walk up. It could be active resistance, he says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin has info from dispatch, park police officer sending him to struggle. "He sees officer Kueng and Officer Lane" struggling with Floyd, Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"at a minimum" he sees "active resistance," Nelson says, Plays Chauvin's bodycam #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin watches the video and fiddles with a lanyard around his neck and his suit jacket for a second. It shows Kueng forcing Floyd into the backseat of the squad as Floyd yells #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He walks onto a scene, he sees active resistance occurring, potentially active aggression occurring," Nelson says, adding he hasn't intervened or touched Floyd. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"He has per his training these techniques at his disposal," Nelson says of use of force options #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"White foam" at corners of Floyd's mouth also conveyed possible drug intoxication, Nelson tells jurors, adding that a reasonable officer would also know Lane and Kueng were "rookies" #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

A reasonable officer will compare Floyd's words "I'm a good guy" with his behavior and take that into consideration if they are inconsistent, Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

A reasonable officer has to decide if suspect is deliberately thwarting police action or other issues at play, Nelson tells jurors, adding that reasonable officer would conclude Lane and Kueng's use of force was "insufficient" to get Floyd into car #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

So Chauvin goes "hands on" Nelson tells jurors and all three "struggle with Mr. Floyd" for a little over a minute #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Three Minneapolis police officers were not able to get Mr. Floyd into the car," Nelson says, adding that they also experience a "surge of adrenaline" #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin watches monitor intently as Nelson plays Kueng's bodycam video #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin looks down and takes notes about the time Floyd falls out of squad, and does not look up as video shows officers placing him on the ground on his side. Nelson plays same time period from Lane's bodycam video, which Chauvin watches #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says when Floyd comes out of car he's kicking his legs and almost knocks Lane over, and knocks Chauvin's bodycam off his uniform #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says struggle rocked the squad back and forth. He plays city surveillance video of the moment as Chauvin watches with his head cocked to one side #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Not a single use of force expert that testified" not a single officer who testified said anything "up to this point" was unreasonable, Nelson says (This is before Floyd is brought to the ground.) #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

The debate on reasonableness begins once Floyd is put on the ground, Nelson tells jurors #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says MPD use of force policy says non-deadly force can be used to physically manage a person #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says state has really focused on 9 minutes and 29 seconds but it's "not the proper analysis" b/c it ignores the events leading up to it #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

A reasonable officer would take into account the 16 minutes and 59 seconds leading up to the 9 minutes 29 seconds, Nelson says, adding that no one knows the unpredictability of human behavior more than officers #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"It's constantly rotating," Nelson says of an officer's assessment of a scene and suspect #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson shows bodycam video of officers flipping Floyd onto his stomach and restraining him. Chauvin watches and then looks down to take notes #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"continued resistance" is how a reasonable officer would interpret Floyd's kicking and words in moment show on video, Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Officers discuss using a hobble restraint which would elevate use of force, Nelson says. In prior questioning Nelson asked a state expert if considering hobble and not using it was moving down the spectrum of use of force. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

A reasonable officer would call EMS, Nelson says, noting that police at scene had called EMS a minute into struggle when they saw Floyd had a mouth injury #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says off-duty firefighter at scene had testified she expected firefighter/EMS a few blocks away to arrive w/in 3 minutes. A reasonable officer would expect the same, Nelson says. (They didn't get there in that time.) #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says it's not uncommon for suspects to feign medical emergency to avoid arrest. A reasonable officer knows that, he says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson focuses on mantra "a reasonable officer" to counter state's mantra, "believe your eyes." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Reasonable police officers, again, are trained" to take a person's actions in relation to their words, Nelson says, repeating officer comment that you (Floyd) can breathe if you (Floyd) can talk while Floyd is complaining he can't breathe #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson plays clip/Lane video showing one of Floyd's legs raising up. State expert had testified it was an anoxic seizure from low oxygen, but Nelson notes, would a reasonable officer know that? A reasonable officer would see that as resistance, he says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Bystanders: "Reasonable police officers are cognizant of and aware of their surroundings," Nelson says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Perspective and perception are two different things, Nelson says, adding he's thought about it a lot throughout trial. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

To underscore his point, Nelson notes how his perspective in the courtroom blocks the view of 4 jurors, witnesses unless he rolls his chair to the side, etc. "These are the things that make us who we are," he says of perspective.#GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says, for example, 61yo witness Charles McMillian has a perspective of the incident and his perception is affected by life experiences. Notes that McMillian wished Chauvin a safe night after the incident, Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"There can always be more to the story," Nelson says after talking about the perception of off-duty MPLS firefighter Genevieve Hanson at the scene #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Hanson thought fluid from squad car was Floyd's urine, Nelson notes. "We don't look at this incident from the perspective of a bystander... We look at it from the perspective of a reasonable police officer. He says officer knows more than bystanders #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"Sometimes what they are doing does not look good to the public," Nelson says of officer use of force. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin watches intently as Nelson plays Darnella Frazier video showing him kneeling on Floyd's neck #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says Chauvin is looking up and around and down at Floyd to compare his actions to what the crowd is saying, as a reasonable officer would. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

A reasonable officer would see the crowd was "in crisis," Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson cites MPD crisis training information, says you respond by remaining "confident" and calm, and not looking directly at people. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Crowd went "deeper into crisis" and a "critical" thing happened, Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Floyd took his last breath 8:25 p.m. and at the same moment "this moment," Nelson shows surveillance video of witness Donald Williams II stepping off sidewalk into street #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says Chauvin also pulls and shakes his mace and Genevieve Hanson walks up from behind him "startling him" #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"And that changed officer Chauvin's perception of what was happening," Nelson says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson plays Mpls Park police bodycam video and notes that officer was pacing around at the same time as more evidence of shifting dynamic at scene #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson plays same bodycam video again and uses the behavior of Floyd's passengers, Shawanda Hill and Morries Hall, to underscore his point that others were responding to the crowd's behavior #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says MPD Lt. testified a knee on neck can be used, & that a handcuffed suspect is not always enough cause to remove knee b/c they can "thrash around," and that you have to be fluid and adapt to circumstances, that knee on neck "routinely" trained #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"The use of force is an incredibly difficult analysis," Nelson says. "You can't limit it to 9 minutes and 29 seconds..." Nelson says is started nearly 17 minutes earlier, and that "officers are human beings" capable of making mistakes. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

This was an authorized use of force, "as unattractive as that may be," Nelson says after lightly pounding his hand onto the lectern to drive his point home. He says this case has "reasonable doubt." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson has been talking for about 1 hour and 45 minutes, and still has to address the cause of death issue in the case #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Officers know they are being videotaped by themselves, bystanders and city surveillance cameras. "Do you do something purposely that you know is an unlawful use of force when you have 4 bodyworn cameras immediately in the area..." & other cams, he says #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson notes officers called for EMS about 1 minute after putting Floyd on ground, Chauvin does not call him names. All evidence shows Chauvin was following his training and MPD policies. "He was trained this way," he says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Chauvin "refocuses the other officers, telling them to do things to focus on Mr. Floyd," Nelson says, adding he told them they had to get Floyd into an ambulance. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"These are officers doing their jobs in a highly stressful situation," Nelson says. "It's tragic. It's tragic." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

While Nelson does not say what he means by "tragic" and who he believes is most affected by the tragedy, it's the first time he's conceded that point. He did not address it in his opening statement on March 29 #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson gets into the cause of death issue now #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"If such intervening causes were the natural result of the defendant's acts" Chauvin is liable, Nelson says in reading jury instruction. He says the state left out that sentence in closing. But consider police arrest someone & they have heart attack #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Throughout trial state called "numerous witnesses" to convince jurors asphyxia was "singular" cause/death, says Nelson, who has argued Floyd died of cardiac arrest due to heart disease w/drug use contributing #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

State must prove "beyond a reasonable doubt" that Floyd's heart disease, hypertension, tumor and drug use played no role in death, Nelson tells jurors #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says the testimony of 5 state expert witnesses "fly in the face" of common sense if you consider finding of county medical examiner Dr. Andrew Baker, the only person to perform an autopsy #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Baker said there was no signs of asphyxia, Nelson says. (Baker's findings have been polarizing from day one.) #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Baker found narrowed arteries, sent out blood for toxicology that found fentanyl and methamphetamine in system, Nelson says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says Baker's finding of "homicide" as manner of death is a neutral term in medical findings, and not a criminal finding. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Baker testified that if something played a role in death he puts it on a death certificate, and he included clogged arteries, fentanyl and methamphetamine use as contributing factors, Nelson tells jurors #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"They did not like Dr. Baker's conclusions," Nelson said of the prosecution. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"His findings didn't support the notion that what you see is what you should believe," Nelson says, adding that prosecutors hired someone to support their case. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson tells jurors to analyze two things from state expert Dr. Tobin, which shows bias--the finger and knuckle testimony and the toe testimony--Floyd pushing knuckle against squad tire to get side up enough to take a breath #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

The knuckle incident occurred 15 seconds after Floyd was placed on the ground, Nelson says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"This illustrates how you can take a single nano-second of time in this arrest..." Nelson says. "But when you look at the evidence compared to the rest of the evidence, what do you really see?" He says Floyd is on his side. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"You cannot take a single isolated frame and reach a conclusion," Nelson says. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson also attempts to raise doubts about testimony that Chauvin lifted his toe off the ground and increased bodyweight on Floyd. "When you take ... a single frame, and you add the drama..." and make assumptions, Nelson says, but most consider context #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

"His entire testimony is filled with theory, speculation, assumption," Nelson says of state expert Dr. Tobin. "Put the evidence in its proper context." #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson says Floyd's death was a "multi-factoral process" impacted by drug use as well, that it's not just an OD #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Floyd's history of drug use is "significant" but not a character issue, Nelson tells jurors. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial

Nelson brings up Floyd's 2019 arrest, where he had high blood pressure. During testimony prosecutor Erin Eldridge pointedly asked officer/EMT from 2019 if Floyd dropped dead. They said no. #GeorgeFloyd #ChauvinTrial