Malcolm Gladwell

As the senior officer present, he's taking control of the situation. He wants Floyd in the prone position, face down, hands cuffed behind his back. He then puts one of his knees on the side of Floyd's neck and the other between Floyd's shoulder blades, a technique sometimes used with noncompliant subjects.

As the senior officer present, he's taking control of the situation. He wants Floyd in the prone position, face down, hands cuffed behind his back. He then puts one of his knees on the side of Floyd's neck and the other between Floyd's shoulder blades, a technique sometimes used with noncompliant subjects.

Chauvin says, we'll hold him until the ambulance shows up. Floyd says, let me stand. Chauvin says, no. So what does Chauvin do next? Chauvin doesn't move. Chauvin just sits there. He's frozen. Right around this time, an off-duty firefighter named Genevieve Hansen was out for a walk. Happens upon the scene. Identifies herself as a firefighter, a trained first responder.

Chauvin says, we'll hold him until the ambulance shows up. Floyd says, let me stand. Chauvin says, no. So what does Chauvin do next? Chauvin doesn't move. Chauvin just sits there. He's frozen. Right around this time, an off-duty firefighter named Genevieve Hansen was out for a walk. Happens upon the scene. Identifies herself as a firefighter, a trained first responder.

Hansen testified at Chauvin's trial.

Hansen testified at Chauvin's trial.

Later at the trial, a police surgeon named Bill Smock walked the jury through the videotape of Floyd's final moments, pointing out all the mounting warning signs.

Later at the trial, a police surgeon named Bill Smock walked the jury through the videotape of Floyd's final moments, pointing out all the mounting warning signs.

Smock breaks down Floyd's final minutes frame by frame.

Smock breaks down Floyd's final minutes frame by frame.

Clear warning signs, clear red flags, not to mention Genevieve Hansen and other bystanders are just a few feet away shouting at him to get off Floyd. And then another voice joins that chorus. It's one of the other officers. He says, should we roll him on his side? Rolling him on his side is what's known as the recovery position.

Clear warning signs, clear red flags, not to mention Genevieve Hansen and other bystanders are just a few feet away shouting at him to get off Floyd. And then another voice joins that chorus. It's one of the other officers. He says, should we roll him on his side? Rolling him on his side is what's known as the recovery position.

Having someone prone on the hard ground with their hands cuffed and with a knee on their neck and in the middle of their back was acceptable practice in Minneapolis at the time. But the city's use of force training explicitly stated that the technique was only supposed to be used briefly and on someone, quote, "...exhibiting active aggression," unquote. It's dangerous. It's hard to breathe.

Having someone prone on the hard ground with their hands cuffed and with a knee on their neck and in the middle of their back was acceptable practice in Minneapolis at the time. But the city's use of force training explicitly stated that the technique was only supposed to be used briefly and on someone, quote, "...exhibiting active aggression," unquote. It's dangerous. It's hard to breathe.

I tried it. I had a friend put me in that position. It's scary. So when the subject calms down, you're supposed to roll them over. That's what the fellow officer is saying. We have to roll them over. But Chauvin says, no. He says, that's why we've got the ambulance coming. He's not reacting to anything. This is what so alarms Jenna Scurry when she looks back up at the scene.

I tried it. I had a friend put me in that position. It's scary. So when the subject calms down, you're supposed to roll them over. That's what the fellow officer is saying. We have to roll them over. But Chauvin says, no. He says, that's why we've got the ambulance coming. He's not reacting to anything. This is what so alarms Jenna Scurry when she looks back up at the scene.

She's expecting things to have resolved themselves. Things should have happened. But nothing's happened. All she sees is Chauvin, up on the screen, sitting on Floyd's neck, his hand casually in his pocket, his face impassive. He's frozen. Or, to use a term favored by psychologists, he's fixated.

She's expecting things to have resolved themselves. Things should have happened. But nothing's happened. All she sees is Chauvin, up on the screen, sitting on Floyd's neck, his hand casually in his pocket, his face impassive. He's frozen. Or, to use a term favored by psychologists, he's fixated.

That's Gary Klein. He consults with governments, armies, and hospitals on how to make better decisions under pressure, and wrote the classic Sources of Power, one of my favorite books ever. For Klein, one of the most revealing case studies in fixation was the actions of the Israeli intelligence chief, Elie Zera, in the weeks leading up to the Yom Kippur War between Egypt and Israel in 1973.

That's Gary Klein. He consults with governments, armies, and hospitals on how to make better decisions under pressure, and wrote the classic Sources of Power, one of my favorite books ever. For Klein, one of the most revealing case studies in fixation was the actions of the Israeli intelligence chief, Elie Zera, in the weeks leading up to the Yom Kippur War between Egypt and Israel in 1973.