Derek Chauvin Told George Floyd 'It Takes A Heck Of A Lot Of Oxygen' To Talk During Fatal Arrest, Transcript Says

Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who was filmed with his knee on George Floyd's neck for nearly eight minutes, told Floyd that "it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen" to talk after Floyd exclaimed the police officers were going to kill him and that he couldn't breathe, transcripts of bodycam footage show. Floyd eventually became nonresponsive and died, and all four officers involved in his death have been fired and charged.

According to the transcripts, which were filed in Hennepin County District Court as part of a motion to dismiss charges against one of the officers involved, Thomas Lane, Floyd repeatedly told the officers that he couldn't breathe during his arrest. At one point, Floyd told the officers that he recently recovered from the coronavirus. 

The transcripts attribute slightly different statements to Chauvin, which came after Floyd said that the officers were going to kill him. In the transcript of Lane's bodycam footage, Chauvin said, "Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk." In the transcript of J. Alexander Kueng's bodycam footage, Chauvin said, "Takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to say that." 

The actual bodycam footage has not been released. 

Lane, Kueng, and Tou Thao have all been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter. All three of the officers have been released on bond. In their motion to dismiss the charges against Lane, attorneys argued their client did not intend to further a crime when he held down Floyd's legs and feet. 

Chauvin has been charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and third-degree manslaughter. He is being held on $1 million bond.

First published on July 8, 2020 / 11:07 PM

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