The trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the death of George Floyd, is facing renewed scrutiny as 14 law enforcement officers claim that Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell committed perjury during her testimony. This latest development adds fuel to an already controversial case that captured global attention and continues to polarize public opinion.
During Chauvin’s trial, Blackwell testified that the restraint maneuver Chauvin used on Floyd was not part of MPD’s training protocols. Her statement played a significant role in the jury’s decision to convict Chauvin of third-degree murder, second-degree unintentional murder, and second-degree manslaughter, leading to a 22-year prison sentence.
However, a defamation lawsuit brought by Blackwell against Alpha News, a news outlet critical of her testimony, has brought forward a new narrative. As part of their defense, Alpha News filed a motion this week, backed by testimony from 33 current and former MPD officers. Of those, 14 officers have explicitly sworn under oath that Blackwell lied during the trial.
Attorney Chris Madel, representing Alpha News, stated in the motion that these officers unanimously agreed that Chauvin’s restraint maneuver was indeed part of MPD’s official training, referred to as the “maximal restraint technique” (MRT).
“The officers swore that this training was well known—indeed, common knowledge—and omnipresent,” Madel wrote.
Former MPD officer Ken Tidgwell provided specific details in his declaration:
“We were trained that when two officers were trying to handcuff a person resisting arrest, one officer should use his or her knee to employ a knee-to-neck/upper shoulder restraint to control the subject’s head, and the other knee should be used to control one of the subject’s arms during handcuffing.”
Another officer, Mark Kaspszak, a 30-year MPD veteran, echoed Tidgwell’s statement. Kaspszak, who is nearing retirement, admitted he feared retaliation but felt compelled to speak out.
“I decided to sign this declaration because (a) I am retiring soon, and I asked myself, ‘What can they do to me anymore?’; and (b) it is the right thing to do. I have just told the truth.”
Kaspszak also revealed that many current MPD officers support his claims but are hesitant to come forward out of fear of retaliation from senior leadership. This sentiment highlights the tension within the department and raises questions about whether other officers might corroborate these allegations if they felt safe to do so.
If the claims against Blackwell are substantiated, they could cast doubt on the fairness of Chauvin’s trial. The officers’ testimonies suggest that key evidence presented to the jury was potentially false, framing Chauvin’s actions as outside the scope of MPD training when they may have been standard procedure.
Chauvin’s conviction has already been controversial, with many arguing that the trial was influenced by public and political pressure. The Floyd case became a lightning rod for nationwide protests, and some critics claim that the trial became less about justice and more about appeasing the public outrage fueled by the Black Lives Matter movement.
The officers’ claims have further polarized public opinion. Supporters of Chauvin argue that he was unfairly targeted for political reasons, while critics maintain that his actions on the day Floyd died were excessive and unjustified, regardless of MPD protocols.
Social media has been ablaze with reactions to this latest revelation. One commenter wrote:
“If this is true, it proves that Chauvin was made a scapegoat. Justice means fair trials, not show trials.”
Another countered:
“This doesn’t change the fact that George Floyd died because of excessive force. Protocol or not, Chauvin’s actions were wrong.”
The allegations against Blackwell may reignite calls for an independent review of Chauvin’s trial and the broader handling of the case. Legal experts suggest that if evidence of perjury is confirmed, it could open the door for an appeal or even a retrial.
Meanwhile, the defamation lawsuit against Alpha News will proceed, with the officers’ testimonies likely to play a pivotal role in the outcome. Regardless of the court’s decision, this case underscores the complexities of high-profile trials where public opinion, legal standards, and internal politics intersect.
The revelations from these whistleblowers emphasize the importance of accountability within law enforcement and the judicial system. Whether Blackwell’s testimony was a deliberate act of perjury or a misunderstanding, the implications are profound. At stake is not only Derek Chauvin’s fate but also public trust in the integrity of the justice system.
As the lawsuit unfolds, the question remains: Will these whistleblowers’ claims lead to a deeper examination of the events surrounding the Floyd case, or will they be dismissed as another chapter in an already divisive story? Only time will tell.
9 Comments
Yes.
That is how cops are trained to restrain perps.
Georgie Porgie ( NO, I will not say his name) died of a drug overdose. He was also a drug dealer. He killed his own self.
CHAUVIN WAS SET UP BY THE LEFT AFRAID OF RETALIATION FROM BLM……….OFFICERS ARE TRAINED IN THIS PROCEDURE…IN FACT THEY ALSO TEACH THIS IN SOME SELF DEFENSE CLASSES……..”GEORGIE PROGIE”. (LOVE THAT). WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A DRUG DEAL AND POLICE INTERRUPTED HIM AND HIS BUYERS….. THEY EVEN SAID THAT WAS WHY THEY WERE IN HIS CAR…….A CORONER NOT PICKED BY THE LEFT ALSO CONFIRMED HE DIED FROM A DRUG OVERDOSE….BUT IT DIDN’T SIT WELL WITH THE LEFT’S PLAN…….. HE DID NOT SUFFOCATE, EVEN THOUGH HE KEPT YELLING ..”I CAN’T BREATHE” A PHRASE SO OFTEN USED BY MANY BLACKS EVEN WHEN BEING HAND CUFFED……..
THIS OFFICERS LIFE WAS DESTROYED BY THE LEFT AND THEY ALL SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE….. THIS ALL HAPPENS WAY TOO OFTEN………. WHERE IS THE TRUTH ANYMORE….WHERE IS THE CRIMINAL BEING CHARGED AND NOT THE VICTIM OR OFFICER DOING THEIR DUTY???????? OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM IS SO CORRUPT AND OUT OF HAND IT IS SICKENING………
THE FACT THAT MANY BLACKS CRY FOUL WHEN THEY IN FACT HAVE A RAP SHEET TALLER THAN THEY ARE….AS FLOYD DID……….IS SAD FOR SO MANY BLACKS THAT HAVE EDUCATED THEMSELVES AND WORKED HARD TO RISE ABOVE ALL THE CRIMINAL HAPPENINGS FOR A BETTER LIFE FOR THEMSELVES………
THERE ARE GOOD COPS TOO THAT GET A BAD RAP FROM BAD COPS…….BUT IF ALL WERE CALLED OUT WHEN THE ACTUALLY DO WRONG AND ARE TRIED IN AN HONEST TRIAL AND OMITTING ALL OUTSIDE INFLUENCE…….. AND THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM CLEANED UP………… SO THAT CROOKED JUDGES ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE……….. BUT THE ALL MIGHTY DOLLAR SEEMS TO SPEAK LOUDER THAN HONESTY!!!!!!
SORRY…..MY OPINION!!!!!
Zelda you’re so right! And look at the stark contrast like you’ve said, say between Dr. Ben Carson who has saved many lives of little children with brain tumors as well as adults he’s helped vs. that lowlife slug in the crap at the bottom of the barrel Floyd who helped kill off people and ruin so many lives pushing drugs for his easy money! Like a Saint compared to a demon!
What did George Floyd die of according to the Coroner? Excessive force or drug overdose/weak heart?
Chauvin’s conviction was wrong for many reasons and deviations from the law.
One was the placing of the trial in the middle of a politically and racially incited riot area.
Another one, the immense pressure on court staff, witnesses, jurors, esp. defense and defendant
Twisting the purpose of a trial was also the selective choice of evidence for presentation, missing out (deliberately?) exculpating parts, e.g. of criminal past and medical status of Floyd.
One juror acting under perjury by not revealing his non-legibility as BLM partisan or member!
That alone disqualifies the trial, as he took part in verdict and sentence throughout!
Another serious perjury was committed by the (black) police chief against his (white) officer, and this would be significant in determining as in the case of officer Noor:
The Minneapolis chief testified that Chauvin had, with his ‘knee-choke’, acted against the rules of practice of his police – which cannot be true, as his police had used that method 237-times in the last 5 years! And in 44 of these cases, the so arrested person turned out “limp” like Floyd – but only unconscious!
Under these circumstances, Chauvin had not shown ant disregard for Floyd and his life, but just acted in common police practice. Floyd had, as the video film of his move into the police car showed, resisted arrest with enormous strength (I thought, Chauvin should have called for a team of psychiatric nurses – as they are trained for such cases).
By the way, Floyd had said “I can’t breathe” – when he still sat in the car with his drug dealer – who should also have been called as witness – and, maybe, charged for putting Floyd in that state!
In short: This trial was so messed up and corrupted, it ridicules any description!
Absolutely a travesty of injustice against a decent and good LEO doing his difficult job!
Chauvin was just another victim of Black hatred. Like how Jonathan Lewis Jr. of Las Vegas was beaten to death on Nov. 1. This unjust prison sentence was just another hate-crime against a White person. Floyd was high on Fentanyl and having trouble breathing before the knee-on-the-neck incident. Negroes will use any excuse to get back at Whitey. Negroes are just nasty, ignorant, entitlement-mentalitied, Satanic cretins with no self-control who will use any excuse to rape, murder and steal. How many White people have been murdered by Negroes in the last 20 years for no good reason? I’ll bet it was more than the KKK lynched. Negroes are the new KKK.
The story of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom: two nice white kids who did nothing wrong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7CVNQYaFYE
Police officers have learned to avoid confrontations at all cost, referred to as the Ferguson Effect.
See Heather MacDonald’s book, “The War on Cops”.