SCHLEICHER: Do you have an opinion as to when the restraint of Mr. Floyd should have ended in this encounter?PLEOGER: When Mr. Floyd was no longer offering up any resistance to the officers, they could have ended their restraint.PLEOGER: Correct.
The police sergeant said he had known Chauvin around 12 years at the time of Floyd’s death. Both men had been trained by the Minneapolis police department. Pleoger described later taking control of the situation, directing two officers to stay behind with Floyd’s vehicle as he went with two other officers ― including Chauvin ― to Hannepin Medical Center, where Floyd was being treated. A nurse told Pleoger that Floyd was faring poorly.
The prosecution also pointed to Minneapolis Police Department rules stating that officers had the option of using a hogtie method to restrain Floyd. Nelson argued that this method would have delayed Floyd from receiving medical care when an ambulance arrived.