George Floyd had COVID-19, according to a Hennepin County autopsy report.
Floyd also had meth and fentanyl at his time of death.
Neither coronavirus or the drugs in his system were the cause of his death according to a secondary independent autopsy, but it’s hard to not wonder what the police were actually dealing with as Floyd had multiple drugs in his system.
Floyd died on May 25 in police custody after Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was caught on video kneeling on Floyd’s neck. Floyd could be heard saying ‘I can’t breathe,’ as Chauvin continued to press down on Floyd with his knee.
The report details blunt force injuries on his body.
The autopsy, which was performed the day after his death, showed 11 ng/mL of fentanyl and 19 ng/mL of methamphetamines, in addition to 86 ng/mL of morphine and other substances.
Floyd was known to be positive for coronavirus since April 3, but the report notes positivity can persist weeks after the beginning and end of the clinical disease, meaning he was likely asymptomatic from a previous infection.
You can read more from our friends at NBC 2.
There are many disturbing questions about what went on inside the squad car–and why George Floyd was pulled out of it. There are also questions about the autopsy report itself–was George Floyd already going into cardiac arrest when he was put in handcuffs? Was he perhaps even already dying (the one scenario which would potentially exonerate Chauvin)?
But none of the answers to those questions end up with a police officer kneeling on George Floyd’s neck.
Regardless of why Floyd became agitated and noncompliant, how Derek Chauvin responded was outside the lines.
If someone is saying they can’t breathe, probably is a good hint to stop kneeling on their neck.