Jonathan Allen

ST. PAUL (Minn.) – A jury deliberated for a second time on Thursday to determine whether former Minneapolis officers violated George Floyd’s civil rights when they failed to help the Black man who was handcuffed and pinned under another officer’s knee.

Tou Thao (36); J. Alexander Kueng (28); and Thomas Lane (38) all gave evidence in defense of themselves in federal court at U.S. District Court, St. Paul. The trial began Jan. 20, 2019. Jurors were told they had no idea Floyd was suffering from severe medical problems at that time. It was their obligation to help him.

According to their lawyers, prosecutors have failed to show that the men were acting with deliberate indifference in the May 2020 arrest. This despite the fact they held what one prosecutor described as “front row seats” for Floyd’s murder next to a Minneapolis police vehicle parked at an intersection.

Thao, Kueng and Derek Chauvin are both charged with willfully infringing Floyd’s rights. They were not involved in Derek Chauvin’s excessive force use. The cellphone footage showed Chauvin (a white man) kneeling down on Floyd’s neck for over 9 minutes. Floyd begged for life, before he fell limp. Angered onlookers demanded that Floyd’s pulse be checked by the police.

Floyd’s death sparked demonstrations across the globe against police brutality, racism, and other forms of police violence. Thao, an Asian American, describes himself as mixed race while Kueng is white.

Chauvin (45) was found guilty of Floyd’s death in an additional state trial and sentenced for 22-1/2 years. In December, Chauvin pleaded guilty the federal charges of Floyd’s rights violations.

Defence lawyers claimed that the officers listened to Chauvin’s orders, who was the highest ranking officer on the scene and had been with the Minneapolis Police Department for 19 years.

Kueng and Lane first handcuffed Floyd for using fake $20 bills in nearby stores. They noted that the training was only seven days old. The rest of their time together lasted over a year. Their knees were used to hold Floyd’s legs down and buttocks. Chauvin then knelt against Floyd’s neck. Thao, who was eight years old, stood at Floyd’s side, refusing to be seen by others.

According to medical experts, Floyd could have survived the arrest had he been pulled onto his side by the officers after they restrained him.

If convicted, all three men could spend years in prison. They will also be tried in Minnesota in June for state charges related to Floyd’s death.