George Floyd Murder Trial: Ex-Officers Claim Floyd Showed Erratic Behavior, Resistance [Full Details]

The defense attorneys for the three former police officers involved in George Floyd's death rested their case on Monday in the suspects' federal civil rights trial after testimonies.

The three ex-cops testified in court about their points of view on May 25, 2020, when the victim, a Black man, was fatally restrained by former police officer Derek Chauvin. The joint trial's closing arguments are set to start on Tuesday.

George Floyd's Killers

The jury and the public now have each vantage point to gain more insight into the events before, during, and after Chauvin pinned Floyd with his knee for nearly 10 minutes. The ex-cop ignored the Black man's requests and gasps for air, a horrifying event captured on video footage.

The three former police officers were J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao are charged with deprivation of rights under color of law while Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground. Both Thao and Kueng are also charged with willfully failing to intervene in their superior's use of unreasonable force that resulted in the victim's death, as per CNN.

All three men have pleaded not guilty to the federal charges and are being tried together after Chauvin pleaded guilty in December as part of a deal. Later this year, the suspects will all face a state trial on charges of aiding and abetting in Floyd's murder.

After completing testimonies on Monday, the jury will hear closing arguments from the prosecution and each of the defense lawyers before beginning its deliberations. During his murder trial last year, Chauvin called on a paramedic, police officers, an eyewitness, and a former medical examiner to testify on his behalf.

According to the New York Times, Chauvin himself refused to take the stand and defend himself or his actions that resulted in Floyd's death. A state court convicted the former police officer of murder and sentenced him to prison for 22 and a half years.

Start of Deliberations

It was found that Kueng and Lane, the first two officers to arrive at the scene where Floyd was accused of using fake money at a store, were on their first week on the job as full officers. They allegedly had difficulties arresting Floyd, who repeatedly claimed that he was claustrophobic and did not want to be placed in the back of a police car.

The two suspects said they suspected Floyd to be experiencing a drug overdose, showing erratic behavior, and resisting arrest. They claimed he was in an agitated state. They also defended pinning the Black man face down despite his screams that he could not breathe.

On the other hand, Lane, the last to testify, was the one who held the Black man's legs and said he witnessed Floyd's chest rise and fall. The former police officer said he believed Floyd still had blood pressure based on the appearance of veins in his arms. When asked how Floyd looked at the time when the former police officers were restraining him, the suspect said that the victim "didn't look good," the Associated Press reported.