Vilke’s research – which dates back decades – suggests the weight of officers on the backs of suspects held prone is largely inconsequential in their deaths.
“In general, it still has to be a lot of weight to really impact ventilations to the point where you’d worry about asphyxia,” he told 9Wants to Know last fall.
Vilke has testified for the defense in dozens of civil cases filed by families across the country. His conclusions have been nearly universal. The actions of the officers did not lead to the deaths of the people below them.
Vilke did not work on Floyd s death, but when 9Wants to Know asked him about his thoughts on the death of Floyd, he said Chauvin’s knee likely had nothing to do with the death.
Chief medical examiner takes the stand in George Floyd case
Poll
Yes
In this image taken from video, prosecutor Jerry Blackwell questions witness Dr. Bill Smock, a Louisville physician in forensic medicine, as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. (Court TV via AP, Pool)
MINNEAPOLIS – The chief county medical examiner who ruled George Floyd’s death a homicide took the stand Friday at former Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial, saying he did not watch the harrowing video of the arrest before examining Floyd so that he would not be biased by what he saw.
11:15 a.m.
Defense attorney Eric Nelson cross-examined Dr. Lindsey Thomas, a forensic pathologist called by the state to explain George Floyd s autopsy.
Nelson asked Thomas to explain the term complicating used in Dr. Baker s report. The way I would think of it in this setting is both things were present, that there was a cardiopulmonary arrest and that it was due to law enforcement subdual, restraint and compression.
Thomas said she agreed that Floyd s heart was slightly enlarged upon autopsy, but that it s difficult to use averages because every person is different.
9:25 a.m.
The state called forensic pathologist Dr. Lindsey Thomas as the first witness of the day Friday. Thomas has worked with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner s Office and helped to train Dr. Andrew Baker, who performed Floyd s autopsy.
Medical examiner blames police pressure on George Floyd’s neck for his death
Dr. Andrew Baker, who ruled the Black man s death a homicide, took the stand at former Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial.
By AMY FORLITI, STEVE KARNOWSKI and TAMMY WEBBERAssociated Press
Share
Dr. Andrew Baker, the Hennepin County medical examiner, testifies Friday in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin in the death of George Floyd.
Court TV via AP, pool
MINNEAPOLIS The chief medical examiner who ruled George Floyd’s death a homicide testified Friday that the way police held him down and compressed his neck “was just more than Mr. Floyd could take,” given the condition of his heart.
Chauvin Trial: Medical Examiner Blames Police Pressure for Floyd s Death Former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin, 45, is charged with murder and manslaughter in George Floyd’s death on May 25
Published April 9, 2021 •
Updated 1 hour ago
NBCUniversal Media, LLC
The chief medical examiner who ruled George Floyd’s death a homicide testified Friday that the way police held him down and compressed his neck “was just more than Mr. Floyd could take,” given the condition of his heart.
Dr. Andrew Baker, the Hennepin County medical examiner, took the stand at the murder trial of former Officer Derek Chauvin for pressing his knee on or close to Floyd’s neck for what prosecutors say was as much as 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old Black man lay on the pavement last May.