Last witness is 'common sense,' state says in rebuttal argument
In the prosecution’s rebuttal, Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Jerry Blackwell brought "common sense" as the 46th witness in the case, stating that even a 9-year-old girl who witnessed Floyd’s death told Chauvin to get off of him.
"Why is it necessary to continue applying deadly restraint to a man who is defenseless, who is handcuffed, who is not resisting, who is not breathing, who doesn't have a pulse, and to go on and do that for another 3-plus minutes before the ambulance shows up, and then to continue doing it?" Blackwell asked. "How is that a reasonable exercise in the use of force?"
Blackwell also disputed Nelson’s portrayal of Chauvin as a reasonable police officer, saying the defense did not give the jury “the whole truth.”
"Notice how when you had the discussion about reasonable officer Mr. Chauvin, the whole narrative cut off before we get to the point that Mr. Floyd was not moving, that he was not conscious, that he didn't have a pulse, and Mr. Chauvin was still on top of him when the EMTs showed up, and he did not get off of him," Blackwell said. "How is that what a reasonable officer does?"