At Derek Chauvin's murder trial on Wednesday, jurors heard from a forensic pathologist who stressed that Floyd's heart and health conditions, his drug use and the carbon monoxide released from a nearby police car played a "significant" role in his death.
The defense continued to try to sow reasonable doubt against the prosecution's case that Floyd died because of restraints by police officers, including Chauvin's knee pressed down on his neck on May 25 in Minneapolis. Chauvin's attorney, Eric Nelson, told the jury Floyd died from a combination of heart disease and an overdose of fentanyl and methamphetamine, which were found in his system during an autopsy.
Court proceedings kicked off with Judge Peter Cahill quashing a subpoena for Morries Hall, who was in a vehicle with Floyd the day he died, to testify. Hall has been identified during trial testimony as a suspected drug dealer from whom Floyd obtained narcotics.
