Looking back at key testimony from the Derek Chauvin trial

April 20, 2021 at 11:56PM
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In this image from video, witness Donald Williams answers questions as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Monday, March 29, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, in the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. Williams was testifying about what he saw of Floyd’s arrest. (Court TV/pool/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

From eyewitnesses to use-of-force and medical experts, along with police officers, 44 witnesses took the stand over three weeks of testimony in ex-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin's trial for second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd. The prosecution called 37 witnesses, while the defense called seven. Chauvin was convicted on all counts. Here are some key witnesses.

Donald Williams

Williams was a witness at the scene of 38th and Chicago and among the most vocal in urging Chauvin to get off Floyd, and for officer Tou Thao to intervene. Proficient in wrestling and mixed martial arts, he said Chauvin placed a "blood choke" on Floyd, restricting his circulation. "I called the police on the police," he testified. Asked why, he said, "Because I believe I witnessed a murder."

Genevieve Hansen

Hansen, a Minneapolis firefighter, was off-duty and out for a walk when she came upon the scene. She attempted to render aid to Floyd but was rebuffed by officers and told to stay back. Still, she repeatedly pleaded for them to check his pulse. "There is a man being killed, and I would have been able to provide medical attention to the best of my abilities, and this human was not provided that right."

Courteney Ross

George Floyd's girlfriend of three years. She met him at the Salvation Army Harbor Lights shelter where he worked as a security guard. She testified that they both struggled off and on with opioid addiction after both suffered chronic pain. "Both Floyd and I, our story is a classic story of how we both got addicted to opioids. … We got addicted and tried really hard to break that addiction many times."

Medaria Arradondo

Minneapolis police chief who testified of his department's training and policies, and how he learned of what happened the night Floyd was killed. "Once Mr. Floyd had stopped resisting — and certainly once he was in distress and trying to verbalize that — that should have stopped," the chief said after spelling out department policy on when to use force compared to using de-escalation tactics.

Dr. Martin Tobin

A physician in pulmonology and critical care in Chicago. He concluded that Floyd died from "a low level of oxygen. This caused damage to his brain that we see, and it also caused a [pulseless electrical activity] arrhythmia that caused his heart to stop." Floyd stopped breathing and "didn't have an ounce of oxygen in his body" less than a minute after losing consciousness, Tobin said.

Dr. Andrew Baker

Chief Hennepin County medical examiner who performed Floyd's autopsy and stood by his ruling that Floyd's death was a homicide caused by "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression." The doctor tied in Floyd's "very severe underlying heart disease" and enlarged heart, combined with the stress of being pinned to the asphalt.

Barry Brodd

A use-of-force expert for the defense, Brodd testified that he believed Chauvin's actions were reasonable. Brodd, a former police officer in California, said it's important for anyone "to try to see it as the officer on the scene … then try to put yourself in the officer's shoes. It's easy to sit in an office and judge an officer's conduct." Brodd said he didn't believe the "prone control" position was use of force.

Dr. David Fowler

Fowler, an expert medical witness, recently retired as chief medical examiner for Maryland. He testified that Floyd died of cardiac arrest combined with illicit drugs in his body and not from a lack of oxygen. He would have classified Floyd's manner of death as undetermined due to the multiple factors he cited. The doctor said that carbon monoxide from the police squad could have been a factor.

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In this image from video, witness Courteney Ross answers questions as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Thursday, April 1, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. (Court TV via AP, Pool) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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FILE - In this March 30, 2021 file image from video, Minneapolis Firefighter Genevieve Hansen wipes her eyes as she testifies at the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, in the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. (Court TV via AP, Pool, File) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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In this image from video, witness Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo testifies as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Monday, April 5, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. (Court TV via AP, Pool) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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In this image from video, Dr. Martin Tobin testifies as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides Thursday, April 8, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. (Court TV via AP, Pool) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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In this image from video, Dr. Andrew Baker, The medical examiner who did the autopsy on George Floyd, testified Friday, April 9, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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In this image from video, Barry Brodd, a use of force expert testifies as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides, Tuesday, April 13, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. (Court TV via AP, Pool) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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In this image from video, Dr. David Fowler, a retired forensic pathologist and former chief medical examiner for the state of Maryland is questioned by prosecutor Jerry Blackwell, as Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill presides, Wednesday, April 14, 2021, in the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin at the Hennepin County Courthouse in Minneapolis, Minn. Chauvin is charged in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd. (Court TV via AP, Pool) (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
about the writer

about the writer

Abby Simons

Team Leader

Abby Simons is the Minnesota Star Tribune's Public Safety Editor. Her team covers crime and courts across the metro. She joined the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2008 and previously reported on crime, courts and politics.

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