Two Former Police Officers Involved in George Floyd Killing Refuse Plea Deal

A pair of former Minneapolis police officers turned down plea agreements Monday that would have given them three-year prison sentences for their role in George Floyd’s murder.

With the plea deals rejected, the two former police officers, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng, are now poised to stand trial in October for the state charges pertaining to the death of Floyd. Both men have already faced sentencing for some of the federal charges levied against them over Floyd’s death.

April 28, 2021, USA: From left, former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. (Credit Image: © TNS via ZUMA Press Wire)

“It would be lying for me to accept any plea offer,” Thou explained, per the Associated Press.

Thao kept bystanders away from the scene when former officer Derek Chauvin pinned down Floyd and placed his knee on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes while Floyd said he could not breathe, according to video taken by a person standing nearby. The encounter triggered outrage and sparked nationwide protests during the summer of 2020.

{snip}