Expert blames Floyd’s health
Former M.E.: Heart disease caused death
MINNEAPOLIS — George Floyd died of a sudden heart rhythm disturbance as a result of his heart disease, a forensic pathologist testified for the defense Wednesday at former Officer Derek Chauvin’s murder trial, contradicting prosecution experts who said Floyd succumbed to a lack of oxygen from the way he was pinned down.
Dr. David Fowler, a former Maryland chief medical examiner who is now with a consulting firm, said the fentanyl and methamphetamine in Floyd’s system, and possibly carbon monoxide poisoning from auto exhaust, were contributing factors in the 46-year-old Black man’s death last May.
“All of those combined to cause Mr. Floyd’s death,” he said on the second day of the defense case.
Dr. Fowler also testified he would classify the manner of death “undetermined,” rather than homicide, as the county’s chief medical examiner ruled. He said Floyd’s death had too many conflicting factors, some of which could be ruled homicide and some that could be considered accidental.
Chauvin attorney Eric Nelson is trying to prove the 19-year Minneapolis police veteran did what he was trained to do and that Floyd died because of his illegal drug use and underlying health problems.
Prosecutors say Floyd died because the white officer’s knee was pressed against Floyd’s neck or neck area for 9½ minutes as he lay on the pavement on his stomach, his hands cuffed behind him and his face jammed against the ground.
Dr. Fowler listed a multitude of factors or potential ones: Floyd’s narrowed arteries, his enlarged heart, his high blood pressure, his drug use, the stress of his restraint, the vehicle exhaust and a tumor or growth in his lower abdomen that can sometimes play a role in high blood pressure by releasing “fight-orflight” hormones.
Dr. Fowler said all of those factors could have acted together to cause Floyd’s heart to work harder; suffer an arrhythmia, or abnormal rhythm; and suddenly stop.
Prosecutor Jerry Blackwell launched an aggressive cross-examination, attacking Dr. Fowler’s findings down the line. He got Dr. Fowler to acknowledge even someone who dies from being deprived of oxygen ultimately dies of an arrhythmia.
He also got Dr. Fowler to admit he didn’t take the weight of Mr. Chauvin’s gear into account when he analyzed the pressure on Floyd’s body. Mr. Blackwell further accused Dr. Fowler of jumping to conclusions and suggesting to the jury Floyd had a white pill in his mouth in the video of his arrest. Dr. Fowler denied saying that.
Mr. Blackwell also attacked Dr. Fowler’s testimony about carbon monoxide, which displaces oxygen in the bloodstream.
In his original testimony, Dr. Fowler said carbon monoxide could have contributed to oxygen depletion in Floyd, noting he was facing the tailpipe end of a squad car. But Floyd’s blood was never tested for carbon monoxide.
“You haven’t seen any data or test results that showed Mr. Floyd had a single injury from carbon monoxide. Is that true?” Mr. Blackwell asked.
“That is correct because it was never sent,” Dr. Fowler said.
Mr. Blackwell also noted the squad car was a gas-electric hybrid and Dr. Fowler had no data on how much carbon monoxide was actually released. He suggested the witness assumed the engine was running at the time. Dr. Fowler said he believed it was.
The prosecutor also got Dr. Fowler to agree it would take four minutes to cause irreversible brain damage if the brain is starved of oxygen and insufficient oxygen can cause the heart to stop.
“And if a person dies as a result of low oxygen, that person is also going to die ultimately of a fatal arrhythmia, right?” Mr. Blackwell asked.
Dr. Fowler responded: “Correct. Every one of us in this room will have a fatal arrhythmia at some point.”
Dr. Fowler further agreed Floyd should have been given immediate attention when he went into cardiac arrest because there still was a chance to save him at that point.
A number of medical experts called by prosecutors have said Floyd died from a lack of oxygen because his breathing was constricted by the way he was held down. A cardiology expert rejected the notion Floyd died of heart problems, saying all indications were he had “an exceptionally strong heart.”
But Dr. Fowler said Mr. Chauvin’s knee on Floyd was “nowhere close to his airway” and Floyd’s speaking and groaning showed his airway was still open. He also testified Mr. Chauvin’s knee was not applied with enough pressure to cause any bruises or scrapes on Floyd’s neck or back.
And he said Floyd did not complain of vision changes or other symptoms consistent with hypoxia, or insufficient oxygen to the brain, and that he was coherent until shortly before he suddenly stopped moving.
“The bottom line is, moving air in and out, and speaking and making noise is very good evidence that the airway was not closed,” Dr. Fowler said.
Mr. Blackwell ended his cross-examination by getting two questions before the jury: whether Mr. Chauvin’s actions played a role in Floyd’s death or whether Floyd’s death was coincidental and unrelated. But the defense objected, and Dr. Fowler was not permitted to answer.