{"id":399852,"date":"2021-04-08T11:58:25","date_gmt":"2021-04-08T15:58:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=399852"},"modified":"2021-04-08T11:58:27","modified_gmt":"2021-04-08T15:58:27","slug":"use-of-force-expert-state-witness-throws-wrench-in-prosecutions-knee-on-neck-narrative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/use-of-force-expert-state-witness-throws-wrench-in-prosecutions-knee-on-neck-narrative\/","title":{"rendered":"Use-Of-Force Expert, State Witness Throws Wrench In Prosecution\u2019s Knee-On-Neck Narrative"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fuse-of-force-expert-state-witness-throws-wrench-in-prosecutions-knee-on-neck-narrative%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=399852&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-902.jpeg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p>During the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, a witness called by the prosecution told the court that numerous photos shown of the arrest and detainment of George Floyd show Chauvin\u2019s knee and leg on Floyd\u2019s back and between shoulder blades, as opposed to his neck.<\/p>\n<p>Lt. Johnny Mercil, who was in charge of use-of-force training at the time of Floyd\u2019s arrest, confirmed to defense attorney Eric Nelson this week that Chauvin, at least in portions of the arrest shown, was detaining Floyd by using what\u2019s called a \u201cprone hold,\u201d which is permitted.<\/p>\n<p>Attorney Andrew Branca for Law of Self Defense, <a href=\"https:\/\/legalinsurrection.com\/2021\/04\/chauvin-trial-day-7-wrap-up-a-horrible-day-for-the-prosecution\/\">writing<\/a> at Legal Insurrection, reported on Nelson\u2019s questioning of Mercil with regard to Chauvin\u2019s knee and leg placement (note: summarized and not exact transcript):<\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"14\">\n<p><em>It was at this point that Nelson showed Mercil a series of photographs captured from the body worn camera of Officer Lane, and showing Chauvin\u2019s knee on Floyd from the angle down Floyd\u2019s proned body.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Photo 1: (Nelson:) Where\u2019s Chauvin\u2019s leg in this image? On Floyd\u2019s neck? Or on his shoulder blades and back. Mercil: Shoulder blades and back.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>(Nelson:) And in photo 2? (Mercil) Same. (Nelson) Photo 3? (Mercil) Same. (Nelson) Photo 4? (Mercil) Same.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThis, of course, fundamentally undercuts the prosecution\u2019s narrative of guilt that it was Chauvin\u2019s knee on Floyd\u2019s neck that killed Floyd,\u201d argued Branca.<\/p>\n<p>The lawyer noted that Mercil also acknowledged that there are \u201ccircumstances like those already discussed where [it] would be appropriate to maintain presence of leg across shoulder blades and back in order to ensure control of the suspect\u201d \u2014 even for as long as ten minutes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn other words, the use of the restraint can be justified not only to compel compliance of the suspect in the first place, but to ensure that the suspect maintains compliance moving forward\u2014especially given the experience and concern that unconscious suspects can revive and be even more violent than they were prior, even if that restraint is being held in place for as long as 10 minutes,\u201d Branca said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s not just for the safety of the officer, but also for the officer\u2019s partners, for bystanders, and even for the suspect himself.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ben Shapiro, editor emeritus of The Daily Wire, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/ben-shapiro-media-paving-the-way-for-riots-with-skewed-coverage-of-chauvin-trial\">recapped<\/a> some of Mercil\u2019s testimony, which he argued was damning to the prosecution:<\/p>\n<blockquote readability=\"12\">\n<p><em>\u201cThe use-of-force officer admitted that Chauvin\u2019s procedure (use of body weight and pressure) was a LESSER use of force than adopted in the past, that it wasn\u2019t a chokehold, that use of force standards change based on drug use or physical stature of a suspect, that he had personally restrained suspects until EMS arrived, that some suspects quickly regain consciousness and thus sometimes suppression is necessary despite appearances.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Chauvin, 45, is currently on trial for&nbsp;second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in relation to Floyd\u2019s death. The former officer&nbsp;can be found guilty of all, some, or none of the charges since they are all separate.<\/p>\n<p>Since he has no criminal history, Chauvin is likely looking at \u201cserving about 12 1\/2 years whether he is convicted of second or third-degree murder,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/derek-chauvin-trial-murder-charge-explained-5e7c935f560219caee61fcc0bef0a23d\">according<\/a> to The Associated Press. The manslaughter charge, which has the lowest burden of proof, would bring a maximum of 10 years in prison.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/news\/ben-shapiro-media-paving-the-way-for-riots-with-skewed-coverage-of-chauvin-trial\">Ben Shapiro: Media \u2018Paving The Way For Riots\u2019 With Skewed Coverage Of Chauvin&nbsp;Trial<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><i>The Daily Wire is one of America\u2019s fastest-growing conservative media companies and counter-cultural outlets for news, opinion, and entertainment. Get inside access to The Daily Wire by becoming a <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailywire.com\/subscribe\"><i>member<\/i><\/a><i>.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>During the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, a witness called by the prosecution told the court that numerous photos shown of the arrest and detainment of George &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2311856,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-902.jpeg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Use-Of-Force Expert, State Witness Throws Wrench In Prosecution\u2019s Knee-On-Neck Narrative","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-399852","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/fb_image-902.jpeg?w=1200&h=800&ixlib=react-9.0.3","fifu_image_alt":"Use-Of-Force Expert, State Witness Throws Wrench In Prosecution\u2019s Knee-On-Neck Narrative","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399852","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=399852"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399852\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2311856"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=399852"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=399852"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=399852"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}