A police expert testifying on behalf of the defense, stated that former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was justified in using the force he applied against George Lloyd.
The former police officer claimed in the Hennepin County, Minnesota courtroom on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, that Chauvin did not use “deadly force” when he pinned Floyd under the weight of his knee for 9 minutes and 29 seconds in Minneapolis.
In fact, Brodd testified that Chauvin acted with “objective reasonableness” in his restraint of George Floyd on that fateful Memorial Day 2020.
According to his testimony that was shown live on CNN, Fox and MSNBC, Brodd said he has served as a use-of-force expert in more than 140 cases. He also testified in another high-profile case: the trial of a former Chicago police officer who shot and killed 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014.
WBEZ reported that in Jason Van Dyke’s trial, Brodd also testified that the 16 shots the White officer fired at the Black teenager was justified.
Therefore, the legal pundits who provided commentary for CNN were not surprised by Brodd’s statements, supporting Chauvin actions that reportedly led to Floyd’s death.
“I felt that Derek Chauvin was justified and was acting with objective reasonableness, following Minneapolis Police Department policy and current standards of law enforcement in his interactions with Mr. Floyd,” Brodd told the jury.
During his testimony, Brodd said Chauvin was justified in putting Floyd on the ground because he was “actively resisting,” but added that he “doesn’t consider prone control as a use of force.”
However, when Brodd was cross-examined by state prosecutor Steve Schleicher, he had to walk back that answer.
“If the pain was inflicted through the prone control, then yes I would say that’s a use of force,” Brodd said.
