Fourteen current and former Minneapolis police officers have accused Assistant Chief Katie Blackwell of providing false testimony during Derek Chauvin’s trial for the death of George Floyd in 2020. These officers signed sworn declarations asserting that Blackwell’s claim that the restraint used by Chauvin was not part of official training was untrue.

Blackwell testified during the trial that Chauvin’s actions were inconsistent with Minneapolis Police Department training. However, the officers argue that the knee-to-neck restraint Chauvin used was part of the department’s maximal-restraint technique (MRT), which they say was trained and authorized until 2023.

The sworn declarations are part of a broader legal battle involving Blackwell, who filed a defamation lawsuit against Alpha News and its staff in October. Blackwell alleged that Alpha News’ documentary, The Fall of Minneapolis, falsely portrayed her as dishonest. In response, Alpha News’ attorneys submitted dozens of statements from officers challenging Blackwell’s testimony, with 14 specifically accusing her of perjury.

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

Remember when Minneapolis Assistant Police Chief Katie Blackwell testified under oath that MPD officers were not trained in this technique, and she had no idea what it was?

Well, Pepperidge Farm remembers.#TheFallOfMinneapolis#FallOfMinneapolis pic.twitter.com/R61Qzw2hZu

— CrimeWatchMpls (@CrimeWatchMpls) August 26, 2024

Former MPD officer Ken Tidgwell, one of the signatories, stated that the knee-to-neck technique was a standard method taught to officers to subdue uncooperative suspects. “Every MPD officer knows that restraint was trained as part of the MRT process,” Tidgwell said. He added that Blackwell’s denial of this training could only be seen as perjury.

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 was convicted of multiple charges, including second-degree unintentional murder, in a trial widely regarded as a pivotal moment in the racial justice movement. His conviction followed months of protests and riots after Floyd’s death. Chauvin has since appealed the verdict, with his legal team investigating whether underlying health conditions or drug use contributed to Floyd’s death.

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

Federal Judge Paul Magnuson recently granted Chauvin’s lawyers access to additional medical evidence, including Floyd’s heart tissue and bodily fluids, as part of the ongoing appeal. The challenge comes amid broader debates about the events that followed Floyd’s death and the police practices at the center of the case.