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MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Lt. Richard Zimmerman, the most senior officer with the Minneapolis Police Department and long-time head of the homicide unit, testified in the Derek Chauvin trial on Friday, saying that the use of force used on George Floyd was “totally unnecessary.”
Zimmerman, who has been with MPD since 1985, said police are required to provide medical assistance to people who are in distress until paramedics can arrive. He said the threat level of a suspect is definitely lowered once they are in handcuffs.
“Have you in all the years that you have been on the Minneapolis Police Department, ever been trained to kneel on the neck of someone who has been handcuffed behind their back who is in the prone position?” Prosecutor Matthew Frank asked him.
“No, I have not,” Zimmerman replied.
“Is that, if that were done, would that be considered force?”
“Absolutely,” Zimmerman confirmed.
“What level of force?”
“That would be the top-tier deadly force,” Zimmerman said.
“Why?”
“Because of the fact that if your knee is on a person’s neck, that can kill them,” Zimmerman said.
MORE: Derek Chauvin Trial, April 2 Live Updates
When Floyd was on the ground, he said the use of force was unnecessary, elaborating that putting a knee on a neck for an extended period of time is “uncalled for.”
“I saw no reason why the officers felt they were in danger, if that’s what they felt,” he said. “That’s what they would have to feel to be able to use that kind of force.”
WATCH: Derek Chauvin trial witness MPD Lt. Richard Zimmerman describes his thoughts on use of force being used on George Floyd, calling it “totally unnecessary.”
LIVE UPDATES: https://t.co/gNUwJUnMfT pic.twitter.com/T0Az6akrUq
— WCCO – CBS Minnesota (@WCCO) April 2, 2021
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Zimmerman was the second MPD officer to testify that Chauvin’s use of force on George Floyd was excessive. On Thursday, retired MPD sergeant David Pleoger, the supervisor on duty the night of Floyd’s death, said that officers could have ended their restraint “when Mr. Floyd was no longer offering up any resistance.”
Zimmerman, as well as Sgt. Jon Edwards, who also testified on Friday, confirmed that control of the investigation was transferred over to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension after they were told that Floyd died. Edwards also said that Minneapolis police were assisting them in trying to find witnesses and evidence.
Long time head of MInneapolis Homicide Lt Richard Zimmerman says the use of force by Officer #DerekChauvin on #GeorgeFloyd was “totally unnecessary” – second high ranking officer to testify Chauvin used excessive force on Floyd, Zimmerman describing it as “deadly force”
— esme murphy (@esmemurphy) April 2, 2021
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Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo is also expected to testify in the coming days.
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Source: CBS Minnesota