The head of the Minneapolis Police Department’s homicide unit testified that former officer Derek Chauvin continuing to kneel on the neck of George Floyd was “totally unnecessary” because Floyd was already under control, CNN reports.
Lt. Richard Zimmerman, who has led the unit for twelve years, said that he was never trained to kneel on the neck of a person because “that could kill them.” He said keeping someone cuffed and in a prone position “restricts their breathing.”
“Once the person is cuffed, the threat level goes down all the way,” the lieutenant said. “How can that person hurt you?”