County medical examiner rules George Floyd’s death a homicide

The Hennepin County medical examiner in Minnesota ruled George Floyd’s death a homicide on Monday.

The county said in a report that Floyd experienced cardiopulmonary arrest while being restrained by law enforcement.

Earlier on Monday, Floyd family attorney Benjamin Crump said an independent autopsy had found that Floyd’s manner of death was a homicide and that he died of asphyxia due to neck and back compression.

Last week the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office released a criminal complaint that said according to the medical examiner’s initial autopsy there were “no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation.”

The county medical examiner’s report also said Floyd had arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease, whereas the independent autopsy found that Floyd had no underlying conditions.

Floyd died last week in Minneapolis police custody after an officer knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes, even as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe.

The officer, Derek Chauvin, was fired and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Three other officers were fired but have not been charged.

Nationwide protests have sprung up in response to Floyd’s death. The demonstrations have at times turned violent, and many cities have imposed curfews and called in the National Guard.

Updated at 7:26 p.m.