By A Correspondent| A forensic pathologist for the defence of fired Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin is a Zimbabwean-born former chief medical examiner for the state of Maryland, who graduated from the University of Cape Town.

Fowler was born in Bulawayo. He completed medical school at the University of Cape Town in 1983 and did a residency in forensic pathology before moving to Baltimore in 1991. He is also a former professor at Johns Hopkins University and served as Maryland’s chief medical examiner until he resigned in 2019. He is currently being sued in federal court by Black’s family.

Fowler testified Wednesday that George Floyd’s death was caused by his pre-existing heart condition, use of fentanyl and meth, and carbon monoxide he inhaled from a nearby police cruiser.

“All of those combined to cause Mr. Floyd’s death,” Dr. David Fowler said.

Fowler told jurors Floyd was living with up to a 90% narrowing of his arteries before he died. He said Chauvin’s kneeling on Floyd was not a significant factor in his death, and that Chauvin’s knee wasn’t near Floyd’s airway.

Chauvin is charged with murder and manslaughter. Floyd died in May 2020 after Chauvin kneeled on him for more than nine minutes while he was pinned to the ground and handcuffed.

The medical examiner in the case has called the death a homicide, but Fowler said there were so many contributing factors that he would consider the manner of death “undetermined.”

Fowler’s testimony differs from that of medical experts called by the prosecution. Dr. Martin Tobin, an expert pulmonologist, testified that, “a healthy person subjected to what Mr. Floyd was subjected to would have died.”

Dr. Jonathan Rich, a cardiologist and one of the state’s final witnesses, testified Monday that while Floyd had high blood pressure, his heart was “exceptionally strong.”

Prosecution witnesses testified Floyd died from a lack of oxygen caused by being pressed into the asphalt ground with his hands cuffed behind his back, and Chauvin kneeling on him for more than nine minutes.

None of those witnesses mentioned carbon monoxide from the nearby patrol car as a possible contributing factor.