Three former Minneapolis police officers were convicted of violating George Floyd’s civil rights by failing to stop a fellow officer from using excessive force and for failing to him medical assistance.
J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao were found guilty on all counts.
Thao, Kueng and Lane each face up to life in prison. In June, they head to trial to face state charges of aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.
“This is just accountability. It can never be justice because I can never get George back,” Floyd’s brother Philonise Floyd said at a news conference. “And no matter how many times that I pray at night and I think about my brother 24/7, it still is going to be hard.”
Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chavin was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for killing Floyd. He was sentenced to 22 and half years in state prison.
“These officers tried to devise any excuse that could let them wash the blood from their hands, but following these verdicts George’s blood will forever stain them,” Ben Crump and other attorneys said in a statement following the verdict. “Today’s guilty verdicts should serve as the guiding example of why police departments across America should expand and prioritize instruction on an officer’s duty to intervene and recognize when a fellow officer is using excessive force.”
In December 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty in the federal civil rights case against him. Prosecutors are requesting a 300-month sentence — 25 years — to be served concurrently with Chauvin’s state sentence. He will also have to pay restitution.
