George Floyd Died Of Asphyxia, Autopsy Finds

George Floyd died of asphyxia and restricted air and blood flow caused by a police officer kneeling on Floyd's throat and the weight of two officers pressing him down to the ground, a private autopsy found.

The autopsy, which Floyd's family paid, reported that the weight of the officers prevented blood from flowing to his brain and air from entering his lungs, according to the New York Times.

"Not only was the knee on George’s neck a cause of his death, but so was the weight of the other two police officers on his back, who not only prevented blood flow into his brain but also air flow into his lungs," said the family attorney Antonio Romanucci.

These findings refute the previous examination performed by Hennepin County. Criminal complaints filed against Floyd stated that their autopsy "revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation." Hennepin County medical examiners suggested that coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease contributed to Floyd's death.

Earlier reports emphasized Floyd's underlying medical issues as a factor in his death. The new autopsy, performed by Dr. Allecia M. Wilson of the University of Michigan and Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City medical examiner, however, denies this to be the case.

"The autopsy shows that Mr. Floyd had no underlying medical problem that caused or contributed to his death, said Dr. Baden. "This is confirmed by information provided to Dr. Wilson and myself by the family."

The four police officers involved in Floyd's death were fired. Prosecutors charged one of the former officers, Derek Chauvin, with murder.