Family of George Floyd chooses independent medical examiner for another autopsy

(FOX 9) - The family of George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody, selected an independent medical examiner to conduct a separate autopsy, saying the current findings "do not address in detail the effect of the purposeful use of force on Mr. Floyd's neck and the extent of Mr. Floyd's suffering at the hands of police."

In the preliminary findings from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office, it was determined that Floyd likely died from a combination of underlying health conditions, being restrained by police, and any potential intoxicants in his system. There was reportedly no physical evidence that he died of asphyxia of strangulation.

Attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents Floyd's family, released a statement Saturday, saying that "We are not surprised yet we are tragically disappointed in the preliminary autopsy findings released by the medical examiner. We hope that this does not reflect efforts to create a false narrative for the reason George Floyd died."

"Attempts to avoid the hard truth will not stand, and on behalf of the family, we are fiercely committed to bringing the truth to light," he continued.

According to the statement, the family's legal team will hire Dr. Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist with expertise in high profile cases, and Dr. Allecia Wilson to determine the precise cause of death. The autopsy will be conducted in the Minneapolis area in the next several days, and the findings will be made public.

Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for a total of eight minutes and 46 seconds, including for two minutes and 43 seconds after Floyd was non-responsive, the charges say. He is charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter.