Footage from former police officer Derek Chauvin’s body cam includes new audio of him defending his actions

Video played in court Wednesday includes the first publicly heard defense of Derek Chauvin’s actions, in his own words. 

Prosecution witness Charles McMillian testified he confronted the then-Minneapolis police officer shortly after George Floyd was taken away in an ambulance, and told him “I don’t respect what you did.”  

On the video from Chauvin’s body camera, seen for the first time publicly, he explains why he restrained Floyd.

“We got to control this guy because he’s a sizable guy, and it looks like he is probably on something,” Chauvin told McMillian on the recording. 

Earlier, McMillian described urging Floyd to cooperate with officers as they worked to put him a police car. 

“Get in the car because you can’t win something of that nature,” McMillian says he told Floyd in an effort to make the situation easier.  

Prosecutor Erin Eldridge played police body camera video of Floyd apparently struggling as officers tried to put him in the backset of the police car.  

Additional video showed McMillian telling the officers that putting a knee on Floyd’s neck was not right while still encouraging Floyd to comply and get in the car.

McMillian didn’t see the officers give Floyd any medical attention or get off of him before the ambulance arrived.  

The defense did not cross examine McMillian.