Federal arraignment set for three ex-cops charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights

MINNEAPOLIS – Three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights are due to be tried in federal court in July. The negotiation date is still to be set.

Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao will face civil rights violations in the Minneapolis District Court on July 14th. The court initially said the trial would take place in August but updated the schedule hours later to say it was not yet scheduled.

Last week, a federal grand jury indicted the former officials along with Derek Chauvin on alleged willful violations of Floyd’s rights. Chauvin has already been convicted of state murder and manslaughter and is awaiting conviction. It wasn’t immediately clear why he wasn’t part of Friday’s planning brief, but he hasn’t made a first appearance on the federal allegations.

Messages left with Chauvin’s attorney and a US attorney general were not immediately returned.

Floyd, 46, died after Chauvin pinned him to the floor with one knee by the neck, despite Floyd, who was handcuffed, repeatedly saying he couldn’t breathe. Kueng and Lane also helped hold Floyd back – prosecutors said Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back and Lane held Floyd’s legs. Thao restrained bystanders and prevented them from intervening during the 9 1/2 minute restraint.

The federal indictment alleges that Chauvin violated Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure and unreasonable violence by a police officer. It accuses Thao and Kueng of violating Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizures by failing to intervene to stop Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd’s neck. All four are accused of not providing Floyd with medical care.

Chauvin was also charged in a second indictment related to the use of force and neck brace by a 14-year-old boy in 2017.

Lane, Kueng and Thao are also charged with state charges of aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter. It is planned that they will be tried on these charges next March.