Officer who kneeled on George Floyd’s back faces sentencing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The former Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on George Floyd’s back as one of his colleagues pinned the man’s neck to the pavement is being sentenced on a state count. J. Alexander Kueng pleaded guilty in October to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

At the time of his guilty plea, he agreed to a sentence of 3 1/2 years in prison. Kueng is already serving a federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights, and the state and federal sentences are expected to be served at the same time.

Kueng will appear at his sentencing via video feed from a federal prison in Ohio.

He has the right to make a statement at the hearing, but it’s unknown if he will.