Chauvin Trial – Day 5

Chauvin Trial – Day 5

Derek Chauvin Trial – Day 5 (April 2, 2021)

2 Witnesses:

1. Sergeant Jon Edwards

2021-04-02-Chauvin-trial-Sgt-Jon-Edwards-1

2. Lieutenant Richard Zimmerman
Head of the MPD Homicide Unit

The state called Lt. Richard Zimmerman of the Minneapolis Police Department Homicide Unit to the stand Friday. Zimmerman has been with the MPD since 1985 and has the most seniority on the force. He was among 14 members of the MPD who penned an open letter in June condemning Chauvin’s actions.

Zimmerman arrived on the scene after Floyd’s deadly arrest and helped secure the scene. He also reviewed the body camera video of the incident afterwards.

On Friday, Prosecutor Matthew Frank asked Zimmerman if he had ever been trained to “kneel on the neck of someone who’s been handcuffed behind their back in a prone position.” Zimmerman said no.

He testified that kneeling on someone’s neck would be considered deadly force because “if your knee is on a person’s neck, that can kill them.”


Full video:

(Source: Washington Post Livestream – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4XNcAZaeSQ)