- Jan 12, 2012
- 27,286
- 113
Floyd was moving his head AND neck.Ah ok. I understand. So, at least to me, there’s a couple ways to look at this, or interpret the Chief’s words.
First, a head/neck has two rotational points. It’s is completely possible to move one’s head while the neck is being pinned to the ground with weight.
Second, “moderate” means what? It’s undefined. If I say I lift a “moderate” amount of weight at the gym, the next guy might call that “negligible.” So unless there’s a standard we all understand, one can’t really come to an ultimate conclusion.
Lastly, Floyd was described a a “big guy” by Chauvin. What’s the point of restraining a guy with “moderate” pressure? If your intent is to keep a “big guy” immobilized, you’re going to use the amount of force you think is needed to keep him that way. Given a knee on the neck is considered pretty much anywhere as “deadly force,” due to the possibility of injury, it doesn’t make sense to employ what one would consider a moderate use of force.
The Chief doesn’t appear to be lying, and if he was, why didn’t Chauvin’s lawyer attempt to impeach him on that comment?
The medical examiner could simply be a dunce for all I know but given the toxicology and pulmonary edema established to have happened, I am not buying it as a definitive last word. If I remember correctly the riots were starting before the medical examiner's report was released so, yes, motives other than pure and applied science have to be considered.