He explained that this is “the highest level of lethal force.”
Lieutenant Richard Zimmerman, the director of the American Murder Division in Minneapolis, said that when George Floyd was handcuffed and face down, it was a kind of “highest Level of lethal force”, “not necessary at all.”
Zimmerman said: “If your knee is on a person’s neck, it may kill them.” He added that when a person is prone in handcuffs, “their muscles will pull back… If they lie on their chest, it is further restricting his breathing.”
Zimmerman also testified in the Derek Chauvin murder case that once Floyd was handcuffed, he “had no reason to think that if an officer felt that way, They will be in danger, and this is what they must feel to be able to use this force.”
“So, do you think this restraint should stop once he is handcuffed and on the ground?” prosecutor Matthew Frank asked.
“Absolutely,” Zimmerman replied.
He also testified that even if an ambulance has been called, the officer has the responsibility to provide care for the victims.
During the questioning, Chauvin’s lawyer Eric Nelson harassed Zimmerman’s use of force and pointed out that the officer must consider the entire situation when deciding whether to use force, including the response to the suspect and whether you Affected by any substance, as well as other dangers around, such as crowds.
Zimmerman agreed with Nelson that the handcuffed person may still pose a threat and may continue to fall.
His testimony came the day after a police officer on duty the night after Floyd died.
David Pleoger testified on Thursday that military officers were trained to restrain their faces and stand people next to them to help them breathe. He said that after Freud stopped resisting, the officers may have stopped arresting Freud.
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