The three ex-Minneapolis police officers who didn’t help George Floyd and watched him die in cold blood are being held accountable.
A federal jury found Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane guilty of violating George Floyd’s civil rights.
CNN reports the jury consisted of four men and eight women. They found Lane, Kueng, and Thao guilty of “depriving Floyd of his civil rights by showing deliberate indifference to his medical needs. Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd for more than 9 minutes on May 25, 2020, ultimately killing him.” Thao and Kueng were also found guilty for failing to intervene to stop Chauvin.
Lane testified he asked Chauvin twice to reposition Floyd while restraining him but was denied both times. The article points out the three men could face a life term or the death penalty for violating a person’s civil rights. However, federal sentencing guidelines suggest they could receive a lesser sentence. Kueng and Lane, were both rookie cops and they held down Floyd’s torso and legs. Thao stood nearby and kept a crowd of upset bystanders back.
In a news conference, Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd, said, “This is just accountability, it can never be justice because I can never get George back.”