George Floyd died from the combined effects of being restrained by police, potential intoxicants and his underlying health issues, including heart disease, according to preliminary findings from an autopsy.
It revealed nothing to support strangulation as the cause of death, the Associated Press reported.
“Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease,” said the complaint from the Hennepin County Attorney, the Washington Times reported.
“The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.”
The complaint offered no other details about intoxicants, and toxicology results can take weeks, the AP noted.
In the 911 call on Memorial Day that drew police, the caller describes a man suspected of paying with counterfeit money as “awfully drunk and he’s not in control of himself.”
The complaint charged that arresting officer Derek Chauvin, in arresting Floyd in the incident, had his knee on the unarmed black man’s neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds, including nearly three minutes after Floyd stopped moving and talking.
The Minneapolis police officer was charged Friday with third-degree murder and manslaughter.
“Police are trained that this type of restraint with a subject in a prone position is inherently dangerous,” the complaint said, the Washington Times reported.
