Name: Chauvin chooses not to testify
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Chauvin chooses not to testify

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By Mike Hayes, and , CNN 12:06 AM ET, Fri April 16, 2021Our live coverage of today's testimony has ended. You can 5 PostsDefense attorney Eric Nelson just explained to his client that he has the right to testify at the trial. Derek Chauvin just said that he will invoke the Fifth Amendment and not testify.Here was their exchange:Nelson: Have you made a decision&nbsp;today, whether you will attempt&nbsp;to testify, or whether you&nbsp;intend to invoke your Fifth&nbsp;Amendment right?&nbsp;Chauvin: I will invoke my 5th&nbsp;amendment privilege today.&nbsp;The judge then asked Chauvin if the decision was his. He said it was.See the moment: The 14th day of testimony is set to begin soon in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.Chauvin is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, who after Chauvin placed his knee on Floyd's neck while he pleaded, "I can't breathe."Yesterday, Maryland's former chief medical examiner testified for Chauvin's defense that Floyd died due to his underlying heart disease — not the police restraint.That testimony cuts at the prosecution's argument,&nbsp;, that the primary cause of death was Chauvin's restraint of a handcuffed Floyd in the prone position — known as "positional asphyxia." To get a guilty verdict, prosecutors have to prove that Chauvin's actions were a "substantial causal factor" in Floyd's death.The idea that carbon monoxide poisoning may have contributed to George Floyd’s death is “completely ludicrous,” Dr. Cyril Wecht, a forensic pathologist and attorney, said yesterday.&nbsp;Dr. David Fowler, the retired Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Maryland,&nbsp;testified in the trial of former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek&nbsp;Chauvin&nbsp;Wednesday, saying that carbon monoxide from the police car may have decreased Floyd’s ability to breathe.&nbsp;“I find that completely ludicrous,” Wecht told CNN’s Erin Burnett last night. “Carbon monoxide is produced by something that is burning smoke. To my knowledge, the car was not running.”Wecht added that carbon monoxide poisoning can cause a “pinkish-red” discoloration of the body, which was not described in Floyd’s case.&nbsp;Watch: The jury in Derek Chauvin's trial has , and they've been shown of George Floyd's final moments.&nbsp;If convicted, Chauvin could face up to 40 years in prison for second-degree murder, up to 25 years for third-degree murder, and up to 10 years for second-degree manslaughter. The charges are to be considered separate, so Chauvin could be convicted of all, some or none of them.While the jurors are unnamed and not seen on camera, we do know basic details about them. Here's what we know about the jury:Read more about about the jury .Maryland's former chief medical examiner testified for Derek Chauvin's defense on Wednesday that George Floyd died due to his underlying heart disease — not the police restraint."In my opinion, Mr. Floyd had a sudden cardiac arrhythmia, or cardiac arrhythmia, due to his atherosclerosis and hypertensive heart disease ... during his restraint and subdual by the police," said Dr. David Fowler, a forensic pathologist.Floyd had narrowed coronary arteries, known as atherosclerosis, and an enlarged heart due to his high blood pressure, or hypertension, Fowler said. Floyd's fentanyl and methamphetamine use and a tumor known as a paraganglioma were other significant conditions that contributed to his death, he said.Fowler also put forth a novel argument that carbon monoxide from the squad car's exhaust may have contributed to his death.In all, he said Floyd's death should have been classified as "undetermined," rather than a homicide, because there were so many competing causes.The testimony cuts at the prosecution's argument,&nbsp;, that Floyd's primary cause of death was Chauvin's restraint of a handcuffed Floyd in the prone position — known as "positional asphyxia." To get a guilty verdict, prosecutors have to prove that Chauvin's actions were a "substantial causal factor" in Floyd's death.Watch: Please enable JavaScript for a better experience.

By Mike Hayes, and , CNN 12:06 AM ET, Fri April 16, 2021Our live coverage of today's testimony has ended. You can 5 PostsDefense attorney Eric Nelson just explained to his client that he has the right to testify at the trial. Derek Chauvin just said that he will invoke the Fifth Amendment and not testify.Here was their exchange:Nelson: Have you made a decision&nbsp;today, whether you will attempt&nbsp;to testify, or whether you&nbsp;intend to invoke your Fifth&nbsp;Amendment right?&nbsp;Chauvin: I will invoke my 5th&nbsp;amendment privilege today.&nbsp;The judge then asked Chauvin if the...

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