George Floyd Death: Autopsy Reveals Traces Of Fentanyl, Meth; Contradicts Private Autopsy Ordered By Family

The latest press release by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner states that George Floyd, the 46-year-old black man who died in police custody, lost his life due to “cardiopulmonary attack.”

The reason for George’s death as described in the report is contradictory to the preliminary private autopsy ordered by the family of the Minneapolis man, which declared the cause of death as a lack of oxygen or “asphyxiation.”

The new report issued by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner also mentions identifying trace of fentanyl and methamphetamine use in the victim’s system.

Floyd’s family, however, have not released the full report from their private autopsy results and still known to investigate the cause of his death. But their public comments have not yet mentioned any history of meth or fentanyl use.

In another way, both the autopsy reports identify Floyd’s manner of death as a homicide. The second report identified the cause of death as "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint and neck compression."

This means that Floyd died because of sudden failure of the heart to pump blood, an ability which was further compromised by the stress on his body and pressure on the neck put by the arresting police officer.

The other causes mentioned in the autopsy results include arteriosclerotic and hypertensive heart disease; fentanyl intoxication; [and] recent methamphetamine use.

No information pertaining to Floyd’s history of meth or fentanyl use is available as yet and it is not confirmed if he had the prescription for the drugs. While meth is a medically-used stimulant, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid painkiller used to treat patients. It is illegal to use both for recreational purposes.

The autopsy ordered by Floyd’s family declared “asphyxiation from sustained pressure" on the neck and back as the cause of death. This means that the pressure from the policeman’s force during the arrest cut off blood supply to the brain and due to lack of supply of pure blood, he lost his life.

"We believe truth will help lead to justice and so, despite how painful these autopsy findings are, especially for George Floyd's family, we think it is essential that the truth comes out about the manner and the exact manner and science as to how George Floyd was killed," said Floyd’s family attorney Benjamin Crump, in a statement on Monday, June 1.