Floyd case: Prosecutors probe police's use-of-force training
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St Paul/US: In the murder case of Geroge Floyd, a black man in the United States' Minneapolis, prosecutors of the federal trial investigated the police department's training on the use-of-force on suspects, Associated Press reported.
On Thursday, the commander of the department's training division, Katie Blackwell, testified that police officers are trained to impart a minimum amount of force. Officers must deescalate a situation and must stop once the detainee stop resistance. Officers must provide necessary medical aid if needed, and they are trained to do so, she said.
Prosecutors said that former Officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao did not act to save Floyd's life. Commander Blackwell said it is important to move a detainee who is restrained from a prone position onto their side, but the officers didn't. Further, Blackwell explained the department's policy and required training of all officers. She said that Thao joined the department in 2012 and was certified CPR, attended multiple hours of defensive tactics training, use-of-force training and crisis intervention training. She will detail the other two officers training records on Friday when testimony resumes.
The prosecutors aim to prove before the jury that the paramedics who responded to the Floyd incident were not provided with important information, which could have saved him. The Physician who was on duty at emergency on that day testified that when Floyd was brought, it was too late and declared him dead after 30 minutes of hospitalisation.
On May 25, 2020, the four officers, including Derek Chauvin, responded to the 911 call, which alleged that Floyd tried to use a fake 20 dollar note at a store in Minneapolis. Officer Derek knelt on Floyd's neck for nine and half minutes at the scene, while the latter was pinned to the floor, handcuffed, after he was apprehended. Officer Kueng stooped on Floyd's back while Lane held his legs, and Thao handled nearby people.
Derek Chauvin, who choked Floyd, was convicted for murder and manslaughter last year. Lane, Kueng and Thao will face a separate trial in June, charged with abetting murder and manslaughter.
