Three former police officers have been found guilty of violating George Floyd’s civil rights.
According to the Daily Beast, a federal jury announced the verdict in court on Thursday, less than two years after the 46-year-old Black man died in Minneapolis police custody. The defendants—38-year-old Thomas Lane, 28-year-old J. Alexander Kueng, and 35-year-old Tou Thao—were each charged with using the “color of the law” to deprive Floyd of his civil rights while he was being forcefully detained by ex-officer Derek Chauvin.
Prosecutors argued Lane, Kueng, and Thao showed indifference to the victim’s medical needs as Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck for approximately nine minutes. A viral video of the incident also showed Kueng and Lane holding Floyd down by his back and legs, respectively, as Floyd pleaded for his life and repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe.”
Floyd eventually lost consciousness while officers detained him. He was pronounced dead shortly after.
All three men pleaded not guilty to the civil rights violation charge. Thao and Kueng were also charged with willfully failing to intervene in Chauvin’s use of unreasonable force, which led to Floyd’s death. Bodycam video captured Lane asking Chauvin twice to reposition Floyd; however, his suggestion was rejected both times.
“They chose not to intervene, they chose not to aid Mr. Floyd,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda Sertich said during Tuesday’s closing arguments. “This is a crime. The defendants are guilty as charged.”
Lane, Kueng, and Thao told the jury their reactions were a result of improper training, and said they deferred to Chauvin as the senior officer.
“I think I would trust a 19-year veteran to figure it out,” Thao said in court when explaining his decision to follow Chauvin’s lead.
The verdict was announced less than a year after Chauvin was found guilty of unintentional second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in connection to Floyd’s death. He has since been sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.
Lane, Kueng, and Thao will return to court to face state charges alleging they aided and abetted murder and manslaughter. The trial is expected to begin on June 1.
