Tucker Carlson tried, yet failed, to revive the debunked myth that George Floyd died from a fentanyl overdose
A few weeks ago, the digital landscape witnessed the resurrection of a discredited narrative when Tucker Carlson, a former FOX personality, took to Twitter on December 28, 2023, attempting to breathe life into the debunked myth surrounding George Floyd’s tragic demise. Carlson endeavoured to rekindle the unfounded notion that Floyd’s death resulted from a Fentanyl overdose rather than the prolonged and brutal actions of then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who callously knelt on Floyd’s neck for an agonizing nine minutes.
Carlson’s audacious tweet didn’t merely stop at resurrecting this unsubstantiated theory; it went so far as to advocate for Chauvin’s innocence and release. This move by Carlson, known for his controversial views and documented racism, appeared not only as an attempt to distort the truth but also to sully George Floyd’s character. The timing of Carlson’s tweet, coinciding with the news of Derek Chauvin’s stabbing in prison, raises eyebrows and suggests a calculated, opportunistic effort to generate sympathy for Chauvin while further solidifying Carlson’s standing within the right-wing political landscape.
The MAGA movement swiftly seized upon this moment to perpetuate the falsehood.
As anticipated, the MAGA movement swiftly seized upon this moment to perpetuate the falsehood, despite the autopsy report remaining unchanged since its initial release on June 3, 2020. Frustrated by the vilification of yet another African-American victim of police brutality, I took to Twitter to express my concerns. In doing so, I found myself engaged with one of Carlson’s staunch supporters, whom I’ll refer to as SS. Despite presenting well-researched facts and countering SS’s claims with evidence, it became apparent that his mind was impervious to reason, firmly entrenched in preconceived beliefs.
SS, in an attempt to bolster his stance, shared a documentary and video footage, including a photograph of George Floyd seemingly with a pill in his mouth before the police encounter. I refrained from delving into the documentary, given that its producer, Liz Collin, is married to Minneapolis Union President Lt. Bob Kroll. Kroll is a vocal supporter of Derek Chauvin, a staunch advocate for former President Donald Trump, and an individual who has controversially labelled Black Lives Matter as a terrorist organization. Collin’s association with Kroll inevitably raises questions about journalistic bias, casting a shadow on the documentary’s integrity.
How long would it take a lethal dose of fentanyl to take effect?
In response to SS’s fervent defence, I posed a pivotal question: “How long would it take a lethal dose of fentanyl to take effect?” His conspicuous silence in the face of this query underscored a lack of understanding and further solidified the notion that his convictions were impervious to factual information. Notably, a lethal dose of fentanyl takes effect within two minutes, directly contradicting SS’s narrative that Floyd resisted arrest throughout the twelve to fifteen-minute video he posted. The video, upon scrutiny, depicted Floyd handcuffed and fully conscious, directly challenging the claims of an overdose. Had Floyd indeed overdosed, he would have succumbed long before Chauvin’s knee pressed into his neck.
Despite the availability of facts, some individuals choose deception for ratings or political agendas.
The absence of a response from SS left lingering doubts about whether he had a moment of self-reflection. This incident serves as a poignant reminder of the power wielded by influential individuals in perpetuating unfounded narratives. Despite the availability of facts, some individuals choose deception for ratings or political agendas. In a parallel vein, George Floyd’s family has taken legal action against rapper Kanye West for similar false claims, prompting a hope that they will pursue similar measures against Carlson and others who persist in propagating the discredited Fentanyl overdose narrative.
