Who is Derek Smith? Paramedic at Derek Chauvin trial testifies George Floyd was 'already dead' when he arrived
With every passing day, new and shocking revelations are made about George Floyd's death. Derek Chauvin's murder trial brings to the fore the many details surrounding Floyd's death that will leave one disturbed. In latest news from the highly awaited trial, a paramedic said that he already thought Floyd "was dead" as new footage shows Floyd flatlining in the back of an ambulance.
Hennepin County paramedic Derek Smith told the court on Thursday, April 1 that he struggled to give Floyd a "second chance at life" as he was unable to find a pulse and believed that he had died before medical help arrived. “When I arrived at the scene there were no medical services being provided to the patient,” he said.
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No medical help provided
Smith went on to describe taking off the handcuffs on Floyd after he was moved to the ambulance. He also identified "superficial" injuries - a bloodied nose and one on the shoulder. Smith said that when he first arrived on the scene outside the Cup Foods store where the father-of-one was being arrested on May 25, he saw Floyd on the ground and three officers on top of him. Smith added that he was initially given a code two emergency but it was later upgraded with no further details.
During the trial, Smith revealed that the scene was not "welcoming" as there were "multiple people with cellphones out" and "elevated tones." "He was in handcuffs at the time," Smith told the court, adding that "officers were still on him when I approached." At the same time, he said that he was not sure where Chauvin's knee was placed when he arrived as there was "a lot going on." Smith added that after he did not find a pulse and that Floyd's pupils were also dilated. And so, he decided to immediately get him into the back of the ambulance for further treatment.
'He remained in dead state' despite efforts to resuscitate
"In lay terms, I thought he was dead," Smith explained. "I think he is dead and I want to move him out of there. I will continue care in the back. In a living person, you should have a pulse. I suspected this patient to be dead. His heart isn’t beating and it should be the longer it isn’t beating the less likely it will be he’ll be resuscitated."
"There were relatively superficial injuries that I do not think would have resulted in cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest was my primary concern," Smith said of his treatment. "He’s a human being and I was trying to give him a second chance at life."
Who is Derek Smith?
The Hennepin County paramedic wanted to really help resuscitate Floyd. But despite his best efforts, he couldn't. According to his testimony, there is little he could have done.
Smith noted that the officers were “very helpful” in helping load Floyd into the ambulance and also described how he requested help from one of the officers with the chest compressions. At the same time noting that there were no attempts made to save him altogether. “Any layperson could do chest compressions,” he testified. “There’s no reason Minneapolis couldn’t start chest compressions.” None of the four officers on the scene reportedly attempted to give Floyd CPR after he lost consciousness. In fact, video footage shows that after he lost consciousness Chauvin didn't remove his knees from Floyd’s neck either.
When the defense questioned the paramedic on why he dismissed a police officer who was helping once the fire department arrived, Smith said that he "wanted as many people at the time to help me at that cardiac arrest." He was "actively working" on Floyd's treatment the whole way to the hospital but he did not resuscitate. During the trial, he also described administering a shock on one occasion just as he appeared to notice a pulse but that Floyd's heart was not active. "He remained in dead state," Smith said.
Earlier during the trial on April 1, fellow Hennepin County paramedic Seth Bravinder said, "He was limp would be the best description". "He was unresponsive and wasn’t even holding his head up or anything like that."