Confusing news story
Posted: Fri Apr 16, 2021 1:59 pm
I'm confused by a couple of quotes from this news article that seem to be contradictory, and I thought maybe someone could help explain this to me.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/16/us/derek ... index.html
The first part, with emphasis added:
Dr. Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist who testified last week, returned to the stand Thursday for the prosecution in a short rebuttal against a defense medical expert.
The state sought to counter the testimony of a forensic pathologist who told the jury Wednesday that Floyd's cause of death was "undetermined." Floyd's underlying heart issues were the main causes, the pathologist said.
Dr. David Fowler, who retired as Maryland's chief medical examiner at the end of 2019, introduced a novel defense argument: Carbon monoxide from the squad car's exhaust may have contributed to Floyd's death. Fowler admitted no data or test results could back up his claim.
Tobin, in a short rebuttal, told the jury the carbon monoxide theory is proven wrong by a different blood test that showed Floyd's blood oxygen saturation was 98%. That meant his carbon monoxide level could at most be 2% -- within the normal range.
And later in the article:
Four other medical experts offered similar testimony for the state: Floyd died from cardiopulmonary arrest caused by low oxygen levels from prone restraint and positional asphyxia. A cardiologist testified that Floyd's heart showed no evidence of injury.
https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/16/us/derek ... index.html
The first part, with emphasis added:
Dr. Martin Tobin, a pulmonologist who testified last week, returned to the stand Thursday for the prosecution in a short rebuttal against a defense medical expert.
The state sought to counter the testimony of a forensic pathologist who told the jury Wednesday that Floyd's cause of death was "undetermined." Floyd's underlying heart issues were the main causes, the pathologist said.
Dr. David Fowler, who retired as Maryland's chief medical examiner at the end of 2019, introduced a novel defense argument: Carbon monoxide from the squad car's exhaust may have contributed to Floyd's death. Fowler admitted no data or test results could back up his claim.
Tobin, in a short rebuttal, told the jury the carbon monoxide theory is proven wrong by a different blood test that showed Floyd's blood oxygen saturation was 98%. That meant his carbon monoxide level could at most be 2% -- within the normal range.
And later in the article:
Four other medical experts offered similar testimony for the state: Floyd died from cardiopulmonary arrest caused by low oxygen levels from prone restraint and positional asphyxia. A cardiologist testified that Floyd's heart showed no evidence of injury.