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Expert Tobin: cause of death oxygen starvation
Photo: AP
An expert lung specialist testified in the trial of the violent death of the black American George Floyd.
According to this, Floyd died of a lack of oxygen.
The reason for this was that the dead man was handcuffed and fixed on his stomach on the ground and his face was pressed against the asphalt, said Dr.
Martin Tobin in court.
Tobin contradicted the defense of the accused ex-police officer Derek Chauvin, according to which Floyd's drug use and a generally impaired state of health could have been the cause of his death.
The opioid fentanyl and metamphetamine were found in the dead man's body.
The expert contradicted this in court.
According to this, even a healthy person would have died if they had been given the same treatment as Floyd.
Floyd's death on video on May 25th last year sparked outrage around the world.
According to prosecutors, Chauvin had the 46-year-old arrested on charges of paying with counterfeit money for exactly nine minutes and 29 seconds, although Floyd repeatedly complained that he could no longer breathe and finally passed out lost.
Floyd was later pronounced dead in a hospital.
Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd's neck for a good three minutes after there was almost no oxygen in his body, said Tobin.
The Chauvin, who was dismissed by Police Chief Arradondo after the incident, has to answer in court for "second degree murder" among other things.
This corresponds roughly to manslaughter in this country and is punished with a prison term of at least five years.
The white ex-police officer rejects the allegations.
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