All UHHers should be aware of the bias of perspective angles in photography. 2D video from a single angle, like still photography, can lie about the true relationship of two objects in space. In this case a knee and a neck. Usually video contains subject or camera moving about but not so much in this case. The video is more like a still shot.

As an avid shooter of 3D photos and movies and a retoucher of both I can tell you that 2D still shots lie like crazy about depth relationships unlike 3D. With 2D it is very easy to be fooled about whether the knee was on the carotid artery of the neck or on the neck where it meets the trapezius muscle of the back which might be considered reasonable.

Just saying you need to study the evidence more from different angles if they are available.

From what you seem to be implying, you think I am trying to excuse the behavior of that rogue cop. Nothing could be further from the truth. Let's use this as a hypothetical example. A 17 year old girl is crossing the street while texting her boyfriend, blissfully unaware of surrounding traffic. A drunk driver barrels down the street through two red lights and kills her. Her distraction in no ways mitigates his crime, but had she been focused on the street, instead of her smartphone, she would still be alive. In the case of George Floyd, his death was clearly a criminal act, but had he been healthier, he might still be alive, had he not resisted, he probably would still be alive, and had he not engaged in a life of drug abuse and crime, he definitely would still be alive.

Thanks for your empirical approach to this controversy. Let us hope the jury in the quest for justice applies the law to the facts and information available to it.

If I understand the policy for controlling and subduing a violent suspect, the knee on the neck existed as part of this process. The police officer applied his knee as necessary for the purpose intended. So, the question arises as a matter of judgment by the officer in using the knee in this case.

We must assume here that the police officer had no intention to kill Mr. Floyd, only to pacify him. Yet, at some point, Mr. Floyd had been controlled and taken into custody. Handcuffed and face down, Mr. Floyd became essentially helpless and subdued, thus requiring no more force as part of his arrest. The knee on his neck could have been removed earlier.

We must also assume that the ill health of Mr. Floyd and the illicit drugs in his system played a part in his death. Had he not struggled with the police but complied, then most likely he would have survived his arrest.

Let us also bear in mind that Mr. Floyd had committed a crime -- passing a counterfeit $20 bill in a convenience store. Hence, the police had good reason to arrest him and take him into custody for his criminal act. He tempted fate while resisting arrest given his condition.

This citizen observes that nearly all who comment on the untimely death of Mr. Floyd have not read and understood his autopsy. Herewith, his autopsy for perusal: https://www.hennepin.us/-/media/hennepinus/residents/public-safety/documents/floyd-autopsy-6-3-20.pdf