Minneapolis Police Lieutenant Says Derek Chauvin’s Kneeling Restraint Was Not an Authorized Use of Force [Video]

Lt. Johnny Mercil, who has been in charge of teaching the use of force in the Minneapolis Police Department’s training division, says former officer Derek Chauvin’s use of his knee on George Floyd’s neck is not a technique the police teach when instructing officers how to restrain people.

via: Revolt

During his testimony, Mercil said that Chauvin’s kneeling on George Floyd’s neck while he was lying face down and handcuffed would not be considered an authorized use of force.

“[If] the subject was under control and handcuffed, would this be authorized?” prosecuting attorney Steve Schleicher asked Mercil.

“I would say no,” he answered.

Mercil added that Minneapolis police officers are trained to sit suspects up or put them in a “recovery position on their side” once they are no longer resisting.

Minneapolis Police Lt. Johnny Mercil, a use of force instructor, says putting a knee on someone's neck can render the person unconscious in less than 10 seconds https://t.co/Pzbf8sGkCD pic.twitter.com/Lrg0D6IH67

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 6, 2021

Minneapolis Police Lt. Johnny Mercil explains officer training that emphasizes using "the least amount of force necessary"

"The minimum amount of force that you need to accomplish the objective of arresting and detaining somebody is what you should use" https://t.co/Un1CGaQPgU pic.twitter.com/mttqfQLNnS

— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 6, 2021

Witness for the state MPD Lt. Johnny Mercil, a trainer in the use of force division, testifies that it appears Derek Chauvin's knee was placed between George Floyd's shoulder blades. It does not appear to be a "neck restraint." pic.twitter.com/uubw0g9vhn

— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) April 6, 2021

“There is the possibility and risk that some people have difficulty breathing when the handcuffs are behind their back and they’re on their stomach,” he explained.

Rolling the handcuffed suspect onto their side or sitting them up can “prevent a potential situation where they might be subject to positional asphyxiation,” he continued.

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When asked how quickly an officer should get a suspect onto their side, Mercil responded, “I would say sooner the better.”

Lt. Richard Zimmerman, the head of Minneapolis Police’s homicide unit, made similar statements during his testimony on Friday (April 2). Zimmerman said that once a suspect has stopped resisting “you need to get them out of the prone position as soon as possible because it restricts their breathing.” Floyd was in the prone position when Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over nine minutes.

“Once a person is cuffed, you need to turn them on their side or have them sit up. You need to get them off their chest,” Zimmerman said. “Your muscles are pulling back when you’re handcuffed and if you’re laying on your chest, that’s constricting your breathing even more.”

Chauvin is charged with second- and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death.