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ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) — The federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death is now underway.
Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng are accused of violating Floyd’s civil rights. Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty in his federal case last month, and was convicted of murdering Floyd in state court last year.
After jury selection took just one day last week, opening arguments began Monday morning.
Prosecutor Samantha Trepel said the three officers “didn’t lift a finger” when Floyd said he couldn’t breathe, and that they ignored their training and bystanders’ pleas to aid him.
Trepel mentioned Thao’s comments made to bystanders about Floyd’s alleged drug use. She said it was Thao’s duty, along with every officer there that day, to provide care to Floyd.
Trepel argued Kueng, who was kneeling on Floyd near his waist, was more concerned about a piece of gravel stuck in the squad’s tire than Floyd.
Lane, Trepel said, twice asked if they should roll Floyd over, but when none of the other officers responded, he did nothing to get Floyd off of his stomach.
Trepel ended her opening statement by asking the jury to hold the ex-officers accountable for not aiding Floyd.
Thao’s attorney, Robert Paule, said Floyd’s death was a tragic incident, but that the viral video did not tell the entire story. He mentioned the counterfeit bill that originally prompted a police response, as well as the drugs found in Floyd’s vehicle. He told jurors that prosecutors will need to prove Thao “willfully” deprived Floyd of his constitutional rights.
The three defendants are expected to pin the blame on Chauvin. Two of the former officers — Lane and Kueng — were on the force for just days. They are expected to argue they were following orders.
Former officer Thao, who kept bystanders from intervening, is expected to argue he never touched Floyd. On the other hand, the prosecution will argue the two rookies helped hold Floyd down, and that Thao kept bystanders — including a Minneapolis firefighter — from aiding Floyd.
Source: CBS Minnesota
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