REEXAMINE

Maryland to Review Ex-Medical Examiner’s Work After Bizarre Floyd Testimony

David Fowler gave bombshell evidence that George Floyd died partly due to exhaust from the cop car. It was later discredited.

Maryland officials say they will review all cases of in-custody deaths handled by the state’s former chief medical examiner, David Fowler, after he gave bizarre testimony in the Derek Chauvin trial that was later discredited. Fowler, a defense witness, made the bombshell claim that George Floyd died partly due to a benign pelvic tumor and exhaust from the cop car. Every other medical expert, including the medical examiner who performed Floyd’s autopsy, said that neither played a role. (Tests showing negligible amounts of carbon monoxide in Floyd’s system were never shown to the jury because the prosecution had already rested its case by the time Fowler made the claim.) Maryland’s attorney general and governor both announced a probe on Friday, which was expedited after D.C.’s former chief medical examiner Roger Mitchell wrote an open letter calling the testimony “baseless” and revealing an “obvious bias.”

Separately, Fowler is being sued by the family of Anton Black, who died in police custody in 2018 in Maryland, over claims he covered up the use of force.