Derek Chauvin, the former police officer convicted of murdering George Floyd, has been granted access to samples of Floyd’s heart tissue and fluids from his autopsy. Chauvin’s legal team intends to examine these samples to determine whether a pre-existing heart condition, rather than Chauvin’s actions, caused Floyd’s death. U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson approved the request, allowing Chauvin’s lawyers to conduct their own examination as part of an ongoing appeal.
Chauvin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for his role in Floyd’s death, which occurred during a police encounter in Minneapolis in May 2020. The incident sparked widespread protests against police brutality and racial injustice. Chauvin was also convicted of violating Floyd’s civil rights in a federal court case. After his convictions, Chauvin sought to appeal both the state and federal charges, though his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court was unsuccessful. He is currently serving concurrent sentences for both state and federal convictions.
In his latest legal motion, Chauvin’s defense team argued that his previous lawyer, Eric Nelson, failed to provide effective assistance by not pursuing certain lines of defense during the trial. Specifically, they claim that Nelson did not follow up on a potential medical explanation for Floyd’s death. Chauvin’s attorneys assert that a doctor named William Schaetzel had contacted Nelson in 2021, offering an opinion that Floyd’s death could have been caused by a medical condition rather than by Chauvin’s actions.
According to Schaetzel’s theory, Floyd may have died from a “catecholamine crisis,” which occurs when the body releases excessive levels of stress hormones, leading to acute heart failure. Schaetzel suggested that Floyd had a paraganglioma, a rare tumor that can cause such a crisis. This, Schaetzel believes, could have led to Takotsubo’s myocarditis, a type of heart failure that mimics the symptoms of a heart attack. Chauvin’s defense team argues that these conditions could have caused Floyd’s death, rather than the pressure from Chauvin’s knee on Floyd’s neck during the arrest.
As part of their request, Chauvin’s legal team asked for the fluid samples from Floyd’s autopsy to be tested for catecholamines and their metabolites, as well as for tissue sections of Floyd’s heart to be analyzed for signs of Takotsubo’s myocarditis. They also requested access to photographs of Floyd’s heart taken during the autopsy. Chauvin’s lawyers argue that these tests could support Schaetzel’s opinion that a medical condition, rather than the actions of Chauvin, was responsible for Floyd’s death.
Judge Magnuson’s ruling allows Chauvin’s defense team to pursue these tests, which they hope will bolster their argument on appeal. The judge’s decision was based on the claim that Chauvin’s previous lawyer failed to act on the medical information provided by Dr. Schaetzel, and that the failure to request these tests was a form of ineffective counsel. Chauvin’s team contends that if high levels of catecholamines or evidence of Takotsubo’s myocarditis are found, it would significantly alter the understanding of what caused Floyd’s death.
Chauvin’s legal team has been active in seeking new evidence and avenues of defense since his conviction, including this most recent motion for discovery. While Chauvin’s convictions for murder and manslaughter remain intact, his defense continues to pursue every possible legal argument in an attempt to overturn or reduce his sentences. Chauvin is currently serving a combined state and federal prison sentence of at least 20 years.
The case continues to draw attention due to the lasting impact of Floyd’s death on the national conversation about police brutality, racial injustice, and the need for reform. Floyd’s death remains a central event in the ongoing movement for racial equality and justice, with protests and calls for change continuing across the country. Chauvin’s ongoing appeals and legal challenges are being closely watched as part of this larger societal and legal conversation.
