Officers Challenge Assistant Chief’s Chauvin Testimony About Restraint Training

Fourteen Minneapolis police officers, both current and retired, have signed sworn declarations accusing Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell of giving false testimony during Derek Chauvin’s trial. The officers argue that Blackwell misrepresented police training regarding the knee-to-neck restraint Chauvin used on George Floyd.

Blackwell testified that the restraint was not part of official MPD training. However, the officers assert that it was taught under the maximal-restraint technique (MRT) until 2023. They claim this method was widely understood and commonly practiced within the department.

The officers’ statements were filed in response to a defamation lawsuit Blackwell initiated against Alpha News. Blackwell sued the outlet over its documentary, The Fall of Minneapolis, which questioned her honesty during Chauvin’s trial. Alpha News’ attorneys submitted the declarations as evidence, with some officers explicitly accusing Blackwell of perjury.

Former officer Ken Tidgwell stated that the MRT involved using a knee on the neck or upper shoulder to subdue suspects during handcuffing. He said Blackwell’s testimony contradicted what every officer knew to be standard training. “If by ‘we’ she meant the MPD, then I believe she perjured herself,” Tidgwell said.

Chauvin, who was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder and other charges, has appealed his case. His legal team recently gained access to additional medical evidence as they seek to demonstrate that Floyd’s death may have been caused by pre-existing health conditions.

The case has drawn renewed attention to the role of police training in controversial incidents, fueling broader debates about law enforcement practices.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR