Derek Chauvin, a white former Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on the back and neck of George Floyd for more than nine minutes as the Black man struggled to breathe and ultimately died, announced that he would not testify in his murder trial, USA Today reported.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death in police custody on May 25, 2020. His defense rested after providing five hours of testimony Wednesday from a medical expert for the defense who claimed that other medical conditions and circumstances, including carbon monoxide from a running police car engine, were more likely contributors to Floyd’s death. In one day of testimony, Chauvin’s defense team also presented evidence from another paid expert who claimed Chauvin’s actions were within reason for a police officer.
Prosecutors presented eleven days of evidence, including medical professionals and members of the Minneapolis police department who testified that Chauvin’s actions were not standard procedure and were inherently dangerous to Floyd.