COPYPASTA:
Fentanyl depresses the brainstem, which controls breathing. This is how people die from fentanyl ODs, like Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries. Floyd may not have had a sufficient amount in his system to cause an OD, but he probably did have enough where the brainstem was affected. Add the pressure that Chauvin added to that area of the neck, and it was probably enough to send him into cardiac arrest because he stopped breathing. But would Chauvin know that Floyd had fentanyl in his system? Of course not. Floyd also had methamphetamine in his system, which in combination with the fentanyl and the physical stress of being restrained, could have caused a heart attack. Again, Chauvin would not know this. Add to this that the Minneapolis police force had authorized use of neck restraint as a tactic to subdue a non-compliant arrest, then Chauvin cannot be found guilty of even 3rd degree murder by an impartial jury. The most that he should get on this charge would be manslaughter -- and the video that shows Floyd resisting arrest will be another mitigating factor for Chauvin. This is devastating news for the prosecution. The official ruling of homicide will be destroyed by a competent defense attorney once the ME is on the witness stand.