Three former Minneapolis police officers were found guilty on Thursday of violating George Floyd's civil rights during his May 2020 arrest, The Associated Press reports.
Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane were convicted of "depriving Floyd of his right to medical care when Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for 9 1/2 minutes," writes AP. Chauvin previously pleaded guilty to violating Floyd's civil rights, and was sentenced to 22 years in prison on charges including second-degree murder in his separate state trial.
Prosecutors said Thao, Kueng, and Lane "didn't lift a finger to help" save Floyd. While Chauvin knelt on his neck, "Kueng knelt on Floyd's back, Lane held his legs and Thao kept bystanders back," says AP. Defense attorneys argued the officers were deferring to Chauvin's authority and didn't have sufficient training to offer medical attention.
"Conviction of a federal civil rights violation that results in death is punishable by life in prison," notes AP, though the three men will remain free on bond until their sentencing.
The police killing of Floyd, a Black man, sparked nationwide protests against racial injustice and police brutality.