• Home
  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Authors
  • Advertise
  • Categories
    • Archives
    • Chaplain
    • Crime & Controversy
    • Community
    • Cop Humor
    • Editorial
    • Op-ed
    • Gear & Technology
    • Investigations
    • Laws & Legal
    • Leadership
    • News
    • Officer Down
    • On Duty
    • Tactics
  • Network
    • Illinois Network
    • Minneapolis Network
    • Tulsa Network
    • Wauwatosa Network
No Result
View All Result
Law Officer
Law Officer
No Result
View All Result

Chauvin Trial Testimony: Trainer said ‘If you can talk, you can breathe’

April 6, 2021
Law OfficerbyLaw Officer
in Chauvin Trial, News
2.9k
SHARES
12.7k
VIEWS
Share and speak up for justice, law & order...

Minneapolis– Minneapolis police Lt. Johnny Mercil took the stand on Tuesday and had taught a use of force training class attended by Derek Chauvin in October 2018.  Lt. Mercil, who supervises the training division’s use of force training, told jurors that a still-image of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck is not a restraint taught to Minneapolis Police Department officers.

While Lt. Mercil said that using a knee on the neck or back can be an authorized use of force, it is usually transitory and depends on the time frame and type of resistance. He specifically said that if the subject was handcuffed and not resisting, it is not authorized.

Under questioning by defense attorney, Eric Nelson, Mercil acknowledged use of force techniques do not have a strict application in every instance and that officers are taught to be fluid and react to the circumstances they face. Mercil agreed that the crowd’s words could be considered threatening to the officers, and would be a factor they might consider.

Mercil agreed with Nelson that an officer could hold a neck restraint after rendering someone unconscious if they had to wait on another officer to arrive. However, Mercil declined to agree with the argument that Chauvin could hold the neck restraint while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive.

When asked about the prone position of a suspect, Mercil admitted there are circumstances when a subject may need to be held in a prone position until aid arrives and that he has trained officers to use their body weight to control a subject until emergency medical services arrives.

Presented with a still image from an officer’s body-worn camera of an EMT palpating Floyd’s carotid artery on his neck to check his pulse, Mercil said Chauvin’s knee “appears to be between the shoulder blades.” At that point, Mercil said that Chauvin’s use of force was not a neck restraint and appeared to be a body weight hold.

George Floyd called out while Chauvin and the other officers were holding him down, saying that he could not breath. At one point, officers tell Floyd that he could breath because he was able to talk.

Mercil agreed under questioning that some people make excuses to avoid arrest, and that he has had suspects say “I can’t breathe” when he was trying to arrest them.

Nelson asked Mercil if he had ever trained or said that “if someone can talk they can breath?”

Mercil stated, “It’s been said, yes.”

Minneapolis Officer Nicole Mackenzie leads the department’s EMT unit and she testified that just because someone could talk does not mean they are not having difficulty breathing.

 


Share and speak up for justice, law & order...
Tags: Derek ChauvinDerek Chauvin trialGeorge FloydMinneapolisMinnesota
Law Officer

Law Officer

Law Officer is the only major law enforcement publication and website owned and operated by law enforcement—for law enforcement and supporters of justice, law, and order. This unique facet makes Law Officer much more than just a publishing company, but a true advocate for the law enforcement profession.

Law Officer Badge Blue

Donate & Help Support Law Officer

Donate now and help support justice, law & order
Your donation is tax-deductible.

Related Posts

Maxine Waters

Maxine Waters tells crowd to ‘stay on the street’ if Chauvin is acquitted

April 18, 2021
1.9k

It’s a lie: ‘Systematic police racism’ and the Derek Chauvin Trial

April 17, 2021
2.9k

Chauvin Trial: Law professor says ‘reasonable doubt exists’

April 17, 2021
2.7k

Chauvin Trial: Judge threatens mistrial

April 16, 2021
16.2k

Chauvin Trial: Judge denies request for acquittal

April 15, 2021
8k
Derek Chauvin

Derek Chauvin will not testify in his defense

April 15, 2021
1.8k
Load More
Book: The Courageous Police Leader

Latest Articles

Oregon newspaper: Police shot a white guy; no need to riot

April 18, 2021
1.4k
Maxine Waters

Maxine Waters tells crowd to ‘stay on the street’ if Chauvin is acquitted

April 18, 2021
1.9k

Video: Homicide suspect fires at motorcycle officer

April 18, 2021
1.8k
Birmingham police officer

You are not in control

April 17, 2021
1.5k
Source: @warchyld_ent/Instagram

NYPD confiscates air gun mounted to rapper’s Hummer

April 17, 2021
1.4k

Chris Cuomo says until ‘White people’s kids start getting killed,’ there will not be police reform

April 17, 2021
2.5k
Load More

Liberty University offers affordable tuition and a 25% discount for law officers and first responders.

Follow your Law Officer Local Network:

  • Illinois
  • Minneapolis, MN
  • New York, NY
  • Tulsa, OK
  • Wauwatosa, WI

More coming soon. Follow the news related justice, law, and order in your local area—and stand up and speak out.


Please donate and help support Law Officer

Must Read

Chris Cuomo says until ‘White people’s kids start getting killed,’ there will not be police reform

April 17, 2021
2.5k
Officer expresses shock

Officer expresses shock after shooting combative suspect with firearm instead of Taser

April 12, 2021
13k
Texas police sergeant

Qualified immunity is an endangered species

April 2, 2021
2.4k
sedition charges

DOJ quietly acknowledges there was no sedition at the US Capitol

March 30, 2021
155.6k
Source: Tito Texidor III, unsplash

Duping the ‘woke’—a new kind of criminality in America

March 26, 2021
4.7k
Load More

Stand up & speak out!

Gab with us—fight censorship!

Most Popular

Nashville officer

Graphic video shows deadly encounter between Nashville officer and Tennessee woman

March 15, 2021
221.5k
New Mexico State Police

New Mexico State Police release horrifying video of officer’s murder

April 11, 2021
59k

Journalist: Derek Chauvin ‘will be acquitted’; alleged drug dealer invokes the Fifth Amendment

April 1, 2021
94.5k

Police union leader speaks unpopular truth: Duante Wright shares blame in his own death

April 14, 2021
20.4k
sedition charges

DOJ quietly acknowledges there was no sedition at the US Capitol

March 30, 2021
155.6k

More from Law Officer

  • Archives (12,812)
  • Chaplain (74)
  • Chauvin Trial (14)
  • Community (128)
  • Cop Humor (15)
  • Crime & Controversy (130)
  • Editorial (460)
  • Gear & Technology (64)
  • Investigations (2,433)
  • Laws & Legal (1,315)
  • Leadership (477)
  • News (6,017)
  • Officer Down (806)
  • On Duty (91)
  • Op-ed (601)
  • Reference (1)
  • Tactics (405)

LA Police Gear

Law Officer

© 2021 LawOfficer.com

LawOfficer.com

  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Corrections
  • Contact

Speak up for justice, law & order

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Law Officer Networks
    • Illinois Network
    • Minneapolis Network
    • NYC Network
    • Tulsa Network
    • Wauwatosa Network
    • Join the Network!

© 2021 LawOfficer.com