Federal Charges Against the Officers
On May 7, 2021, a federal grand jury indicted all four former officers on charges of violating George Floyd's civil rights during the arrest that resulted in his death. Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao will stand trial on two counts, and Lane will face one charge. Chauvin will also face federal counts of violating the rights of a teenage boy in an arrest in September 2017. Kueng, Lane, and Thao are facing state charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. The federal charges could potentially add more time in prison or other punishment, in addition to state level sentences. Experts have stated that charges under federal statute 242, which bans government officials such as police officers, from violating a person's federal rights, are rare in officer-related deaths and convictions are difficult to serve. Still, simply having the officers face federal charges is growth from years ago, such as the 2014 killings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, in which officers faced no federal charges. The Justice Department is tasked with proving that the officers deliberately took action to violate Floyd's civil rights (Nakamura).
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December 2021 Updates
On Wednesday, December 15, Chauvin pleaded guilty to a federal charge that he used his position to violate Floyd's constitutional rights. It was revealed that a federal prosecutor requested to have Chauvin imprisoned for 25 years, which would extend his term. In court, Chauvin admitted that he had violated Floyd's constitutional right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, which encompasses the right to be free from unreasonable force. Chauvin also acknowledged that he had caused Floyd's death. Finally, Chauvin pled guilty to violating the civil rights of a 14-year-old in 2017, holding him by the throat and hitting him with a flashlight (Bogel-burroughs).
2022 Updates
In February 2022, a federal jury found Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao guilty of depriving Floyd of his civil rights by denying him of his right to medical care and not intervening while Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck (Sullivan).
In June 2022, the state trial for Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng was delayed until 2023 by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill. Cahill noted that publicity over the Thomas Lane's plea deal and the convictions of the three officers in February on federal charges could make it harder to select an unbiased jury. Lane had pled guilty in May to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. This plea deal resulted in the dismissal of his charge of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder.(Hutchinson).
In June 2022, the state trial for Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng was delayed until 2023 by Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill. Cahill noted that publicity over the Thomas Lane's plea deal and the convictions of the three officers in February on federal charges could make it harder to select an unbiased jury. Lane had pled guilty in May to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. This plea deal resulted in the dismissal of his charge of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder.(Hutchinson).