Derek Chauvin trial: What is fentanyl that defence blaming for George Floyd’s death?

A critical care doctor contradicted defence claims that George Floyd’s health condition and small amounts of fentanyl in his system caused loss of oxygen.

A critical care doctor called as a prosecution witness in Derek Chauvin’s murder trial on Thursday said that fentanyl did not cause George Floyd's death. Dr Martin Tobin, a Chicago-area pulmonologist who specialises in the science of breathing, contradicted defence claims that Floyd’s health condition and small amounts of fentanyl in his system caused loss of oxygen.

George Floyd, a Black man from Minneapolis, died last year after Derek Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeled on his neck. (AFP)

Floyd, a Black man from Minneapolis, died last year after Chauvin, a white police officer, kneeled on his neck. A transcript of the minutes leading to Floyd’s death had revealed that he uttered “I can’t breathe” more than 20 times and was told by Chauvin to stop “yelling”. “Then stop talking, stop yelling, it takes a heck of a lot of oxygen to talk,” said Chauvin after Floyd told him he can’t breathe, according to the transcripts of Minneapolis police body camera footage.

Tobin said that the pressure of Chauvin’s knees cut off oxygen in Floyd’s body and led to brain damage within minutes, causing an arrhythmia that caused his heart to stop. “They're pushing the handcuffs into his back and pushing them high, then on the other side, you have the street. The street is playing the crucial part," Tobin said. "It's like the left side is in a vice," he added.

Tobin’s testimony undermined the claims made by the defence team which has been hinging on the toxicology report released in June 2020 that said traces of fentanyl and methamphetamine was found in Floyd’s system.

What is fentanyl?

Fentanyl is an opioid administered to treat severe, chronic pain in cancer patients, according to the US National Library of Medicine. In the United States, fentanyl has been classified as a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act, suggesting it has a high potential for abuse which may lead to severe psychological or physical dependence. Cases of fentanyl-related harm, overdose and death in the US are linked to illegally made fentanyl which is often mixed with heroin or cocaine without the users knowing that.

MedlinePlus, an online information service by the US National Library of Medicine, has warned that fentanyl may be habit-forming, especially with prolonged use. “Fentanyl may cause serious harm or death if used accidentally by a child or by an adult who has not been prescribed the medication. Even partially used fentanyl may contain enough medication to cause serious harm or death to children or other adults,” says MedlinePlus on its website.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has classified fentanyl as narcotics (opioids) drug. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), its street names are Apace, China Girl, China Town, China White, Dance Fever, Goodfellas, Great Bear, He-Man, and Poison and Tango & Cash, as per NCBI.