Kueng, Thao sentenced for violating George Floyd's rights
Former Minneapolis PD officers Tou Thao (left) and J. Alexander Keung (right) face charges of aiding and abetting murder for George Floyd's murder.
(FOX 9) - The final two former Minneapolis police officers who violated George Floyd's civil rights were sentenced Wednesday in federal court.
J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were convicted in February of two counts of violating Floyd’s civil rights in the 2020 slaying. The jury found they deprived Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, of medical care and failed to stop Derek Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd gasped for air.
Kueng was sentenced Wednesday morning to three years in federal prison and two years of supervised release. He is ordered to surrender himself on or before Oct. 4.
Thao, who held back bystanders during Floyd's killing, received 3 1/2 years (42 months) in prison for violating Floyd's civil rights and two years of supervised release. He's also been ordered to surrender himself on or before Oct. 4.
Federal prosecutors requested the judge sentence Kueng and Thao to less time than Chauvin but more than Thomas lane. Chauvin got 21 years, while Lane who got 2 1/2. Kueng and Thao's defense got a victory last week when the judge issued a ruling that will result in a substantially lower sentence than the men might have otherwise faced.
The sentencing could renew discussions of a plea deal in state court, where the men are charged with aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. Their state trial in that case is scheduled to begin on Oct. 24.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.