USA TODAY International Edition
George Floyd told officers he ‘ can’t breathe’ nearly 30 times
Transcripts released of body camera footage reveal an extended account of the moments leading up to George Floyd’s death, an abridged clip of which set into motion months of ongoing protests against antiBlack racism and police violence.
In the exchange, Floyd appears to be deferential to officers as he pleads to not be put in a squad car and instead be restrained on the ground, repeatedly telling them that he has claustrophobia and anxiety and is not carrying a weapon. He told officers he couldn’t breathe nearly 30 times.
“I’ll do anything, I’ll do anything y’all tell me to, man,” he tells officers early into the transcript. “I’m not resisting, man. I’m not!”
Footage from police body cameras used by Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng – as well as transcripts from both cameras – was released Wednesday as part of former officer Thomas Lane’s plea to dismiss charges of aiding and abetting Derek Chauvin, who is charged with second- degree murder, third- degree murder and manslaughter after pinning Floyd’s neck down and asphyxiating him with his knee for more than eight minutes.
Lane, Kueng and Tou Thao are all charged with aiding and abetting both second- degree murder and manslaughter for their role in Floyd’s death.
Early in the footage, Lane appears to pull his gun on the car Floyd was in. Floyd said, “Please don’t shoot me, Mr. Officer,” according to the transcript.
Lane said he thought Floyd was “on something.” “Why’s he getting all squirrelly and not showing us his hands. and just being all weird like that?” he asks Floyd’s girlfriend, Shawanda Hill.
“I have no clue,” she said, “because been shot before. ... He have problems all the time when they come, especially when that man put that gun like that.”
At one point, Kueng tells Lane that he didn’t search him. After Floyd tells him he does not have “anything sharp,” both officers appear to search his pockets.
“All right, he‘ s good. just looking for guns and whatever,” Lane tells Floyd.
In the last moments where Floyd is conscious, he makes pleas to his family.
“Tell my kids I love them. I’m dead,” Floyd said at one point.
Chauvin replies: “You’re doing a lot of talking,”
“Mama, I love you. I can’t do nothing,” Floyd says, moments after.
Chauvin tells him, seconds later: “Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk.”
Meanwhile, Lane tells the other officers he believes Floyd was “on PCP or something” due to “the shaking” of Floyd’s eyes.