Judge Agrees to Delay State Trial for Three Cops in Floyd’s Death

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A judge agreed to delay a state court trial for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death, though he didn’t immediately set a date.

Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill in an order Monday told attorneys to agree on a new date that is within one year, and to inform the court by Sunday. Cahill said if they cannot agree, the trial will remain set for March 7.

Photo from Hennepin County Jail

Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao face charges of aiding and abetting both murder and manslaughter. Both their attorneys and prosecutors sought to delay the start because the three first have a federal trial on Jan. 20 on allegations that they violated Floyd’s civil rights while acting under government authority.

Derek Chauvin, who is white, was sentenced to 22 1/2 years in prison last year on murder and manslaughter charges for pressing his knee against Floyd’s neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t breathe and eventually went limp. Chauvin, Kueng and Lane helped restrain the 46-year-old Black man as he was on the ground. Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back and Lane held down Floyd’s legs. Thao kept bystanders from intervening.

Chauvin pleaded guilty in December to a federal count of violating Floyd’s civil rights during the May, 25, 2020, arrest.

The killing, which was captured on video, galvanized protests against police brutality around the U.S. and beyond.