by Jonathan Allen
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (Reuters) – Three former police officers from Minneapolis, in the U.S. state of Minnesota, were convicted on Thursday of disenfranchising George Floyd during his 2020 arrest by failing to come to the aid of the African-American man as he was held to the ground by another officer’s knee.
St. Paul District Court jurors also ruled that the behavior of Tou Thao, 36, J. Alexander Kueng, 28, and Thomas Lane, 38, resulted in the death of George Floyd, a decision that could influence the sentence that will be pronounced against them.
This case has brought to light questions about a police officer’s duty to respond to co-worker misconduct.
It is rare for police officers to be held criminally responsible for the actions of one of their peers.
The three men have been released on bail pending the verdict, for which a date has not yet been set.
The death on May 25, 2020 of George Floyd, suffocated by the knee of former police officer Derek Chauvin, caused a worldwide wave of protest against racial discrimination and police violence.
Derek Chauvin, tried separately last year, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to more than 22 years in prison.
(Report Jonathan Allen; French version Jean Terzian)
click here for restrictions
©2022 Reuters
