An independent autopsy commissioned for the family of George Floyd concluded that the 46-year-old died from asphyxiation from sustained pressure to the back of his neck, according to legal representatives who announced the findings on June 1, 2020. The private determination directly challenged preliminary findings released by local authorities following Floyd’s death during a Minneapolis police encounter on Memorial Day.
Independent Autopsy Findings and Cause of Death
The private examination, conducted by Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson, determined that Floyd died from asphyxiation due to compression of the neck and back, according to civil rights attorney Ben Crump. Dr. Wilson stated during a June 1 news conference that the physical evidence was consistent with mechanical asphyxia and that manner of death was homicide. Dr. Baden stated that pressure to the neck interfered with blood flow and oxygen to the brain, while pressure to the back interfered with breathing. The private pathologists asserted that no other underlying medical conditions contributed to the outcome.
Contrasting Official Medical Examiner and Police Reports
The independent findings contrasted with preliminary details released in a Hennepin County criminal complaint filed against former police officer Derek Chauvin. According to that complaint, the Hennepin County medical examiner’s preliminary findings from May 26, 2020, indicated no physical evidence of traumatic asphyxiation or strangulation. Instead, that preliminary assessment pointed to pre-existing conditions—including arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease—alongside potential intoxicants and the police interaction itself as likely contributing factors. The Hennepin County medical examiner later released final findings stating Floyd died of cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression, while also noting underlying heart disease, fentanyl intoxication, and recent methamphetamine use.
Legal Actions and Public Response
The incident occurred on May 25, 2020, after police approached Floyd over an alleged counterfeit bill outside a Minneapolis establishment. Bystander video documented multiple officers holding Floyd to the ground, with Derek Chauvin pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds while Floyd stated he could not breathe. Chauvin was arrested and initially charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter, while three other involved officers were fired from the Minneapolis Department but had not faced arrest at the time of the autopsy announcements. The killing sparked widespread protests against police brutality across major U.S. cities including Minneapolis, New York, and Los Angeles.
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