Fourteen current and former Minneapolis police officers have accused Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell of giving false testimony during Derek Chauvin’s trial. The officers allege Blackwell falsely testified that the knee-to-neck restraint Chauvin used on George Floyd was not part of official police training.
In sworn statements, the officers said the restraint was taught under the maximal-restraint technique (MRT), a method authorized by the department until 2023. They described the MRT as common knowledge among officers, contradicting Blackwell’s trial testimony.
The statements were submitted as part of a defamation lawsuit brought by Blackwell against Alpha News, which released a documentary questioning her trial testimony. Blackwell claims the outlet’s reporting damaged her reputation. In response, Alpha News’ attorneys submitted statements from officers asserting that her testimony was untruthful.
WATCH: Alpha News reporter @lizcollin confronts Minneapolis Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell after dozens of police officers signed sworn declarations saying they were trained in MRT.
14 former and current officers say they believe Blackwell committed perjury during Derek… pic.twitter.com/kQz30WKRjS
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) January 7, 2025
Ken Tidgwell, a former MPD officer, stated that officers were trained to use a knee on a suspect’s neck or upper shoulder to gain control during handcuffing. He described the technique as a standard part of MPD training, adding that Blackwell’s denial of this training raised serious concerns.
The MRT was trained by the Minneapolis PD, and the lie that it wasn't was the crux of the prosecutions argument
Chauvin, Keung, Lane, and Thao all followed training protocol
Free Them All! https://t.co/NMzqe1FIkH
— AK Kamara (@realakkamara) January 7, 2025
Chauvin, convicted of multiple charges in Floyd’s death, is appealing his conviction. His legal team recently obtained access to additional medical evidence to argue that Floyd’s death may have been caused by underlying health issues or drug use rather than Chauvin’s actions.
Here is the training slide from the Minneapolis police department. Look familiar? https://t.co/yPb7PehjWk pic.twitter.com/2hyxqSC3iM
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) March 4, 2021
This controversy adds another layer to the ongoing debates about police conduct and accountability, which have been central issues since Floyd’s death in 2020.
