MINNEAPOLIS — On day seven of the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers, Hennepin County Medical Examiner Andrew Baker continued his testimony on factors contributing to George Floyd's death, as a defense attorney raised questions as to whether outside influences may have impacted his analysis.
On cross-examination from Robert Paule, attorney for Tou Thao, Baker said he and his office became subjects of protests after Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman published his preliminary findings days after Floyd's death in the charging document for Derek Chauvin, highlighting cardiovascular disease and "potential intoxicants" in Floyd's system.
Baker said his office received phone calls around the clock as protests and riots erupted across the city. "I would say by a very large margin they were threatening," he said, adding some threats targeted specific people, their families and included home addresses.
But Baker said his conclusions on Floyd's death report were not partisan, and his office must remain non-political in order to avoid bias in death investigations.
Baker told jurors Monday afternoon that Floyd died from his heart and lungs stopping because of the restraint by law enforcement. "I view his death as being multifactorial," he said, attributing the death to the duration of his "interaction with law enforcement" for 9 1/2 minutes along with his already enlarged heart and hardened arteries. He said it was more than Floyd's body could take.
Baker ruled out a series of other possible contributing factors, including fentanyl and methamphetamine found in Floyd's body. Baker also ruled out carbon monoxide poisoning.
Paule is the first of the three defense attorneys that will cross-examine Baker. He did not accuse Baker of bias, but his line of questioning focused on the outside pressures Baker faced in the days and weeks after Floyd's death from the public and other medical experts.
Attorneys for Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Keung are expected to question Baker later Tuesday.
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