Knee on Floyd’s Neck Was Excessive Force, Police Chief Says (1)

Kneeling on George Floyd’s neck for nine minutes “absolutely” violated Minneapolis police policy on using force, department Chief Medaria Arradondo testified.

“That action is not deescalation,” he said. “When we talk about the framework of our sanctity of life, when we talk about the principles and values we have that action goes contrary to what we’re talking about.”

Derek Chauvin and other police officers who subdued Floyd used excessive force and failed to provide medical assistance as required by department policies, Arradondo said in testimony at Chauvin’s trial.

Defense attorney Eric Nelson used cross examination to ask whether ...