Defense expert witness Dr. David Fowler said during cross-examination he agreed with the prosecution that in the majority of asphyxia deaths, autopsies will show little or no evidence of traumatic injuries, like bruising.
Prosecuting attorney Jerry Blackwell asked if Dr. Fowler agreed that in the majority of cases where somebody dies from asphyxia — or low oxygen levels — there is not necessarily any physical evidence of trauma in the autopsy.
He said that he agreed that is true “in a substantial number of the cases,” adding, “I’m not sure it’s absolutely a majority.”
Why this is important: In earlier testimony, Fowler, a retired forensic pathologist, said it’s his opinion that Derek Chauvin’s knee did not impact any of George Floyd’s “vital structures” of his neck.
Other witnesses who testified for the prosecution earlier in the trial said they think the prone position and the weight on Floyd’s back interfered with his ability to breathe. Dr. Martin Tobin, a physician in pulmonary and critical care medicine, testified on April 8 that Floyd died from a “low level of oxygen.”
