The federal civil rights trial for three former Minneapolis police officers over the killing of George Floyd starts today.
They’re facing charges of abusing their position to deprive Floyd of his rights as fellow officer Derick Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, May 25, 2020, resulting in Floyd’s death.
The federal indictment that was unsealed in May states Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao willfully deprived Floyd of his constitutional rights while “acting under the color of the law.”
Chauvin, who is serving more than two decades for the crime, already pleaded guilty in the federal case.
Kueng and Lane helped to restrain Floyd as Chauvin knelt on his neck during the attempted arrest. Thao kept bystanders backed away as Floyd, who was handcuffed and lying flat on his stomach, repeatedly said “I can’t breathe.”
See all the charges here.
The other three are also awaiting trial on state charges.
George Floyd’s death let to an explosion of protests against police brutality across the country and around the world.
