The three former police officers who watched as George Floyd was murdered by their fellow officer Derek Chauvin have been found guilty of all charges at their federal civil rights trial.
Tou Thao, 36; J Alexander Kueng, 28; and Thomas Lane, 38, were convicted of violating Mr Floyd’s civil rights by failing to give him medical aid and failing to stop Chauvin as the Black man lay dying under the white officer’s knee.
Mr Thao and Mr Kueng were both found guilty of two counts – one count of depriving Mr Floyd of his civil rights by failing to provide him with medical care and one count of depriving Mr Floyd of his civil rights by failing to intervene to stop Chauvin’s unreasonable use of force.
Mr Lane was found guilty on the one count of depriving Mr Floyd of his civil rights by failing to provide him with medical care.
The jury also found that all three officers’ actions resulted in Mr Floyd’s death, meaning they face higher sentences.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison while all three former officers still face additional charges at their upcoming state trial.
The jury, which appeared to be all white, reached the verdict on Thursday afternoon, after a month-long trial and around 13 hours of deliberations.
Mr Floyd was murdered during a deadly arrest over a counterfeit $20 bill in Minneapolis back on Memorial Day 2020.
Footage of his death showed how white officer Chauvin knelt on the Black man’s neck for nine minutes and 29 seconds.
Mr Floyd, a 46-year-old father, begged for air dozens of times, saying: “I can’t breathe.”
Mr Thao, a veteran officer of eight years, held back bystanders and stopped them from intervening during the fatal encounter.
Mr Kueng pinned Mr Floyd down on his back and Mr Lane held down his legs.
They had both been on the job just three and four days at the time and were first on the scene of Mr Floyd’s arrest.
Bystanders who had gathered on the scene shouted at the officers to stop and urged them to administer medical care.
Video of the fatal encounter sent shockwaves across the globe and led to calls for racial justice and an end to police brutality against Black people.
During the month-long trial, prosecutors told jurors how none of the three officers did anything to try to stop Chauvin or to try to save the life of Mr Floyd.
“They chose to do nothing, and their choice resulted in Mr Floyd’s death,” prosecutor Manda Sertich said in closing arguments.
Mr Thao watched as Mr Floyd died under Chauvin’s knee “right before their eyes” and, instead of stepping in to stop Chauvin, he would “argue and belittle” bystanders who were begging him to intervene, she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Kueng was seen “laughing with Chauvin” and casually picked gravel out of the tyre of the squad car all the while pinning down Mr Floyd and ignoring his pleas or help, said Ms Sertich.
Mr Lane was only charged with one count after he was heard asking twice if the officers should move Mr Floyd to another position but was told no by Chauvin.
The prosecutor said that his suggestion that Mr Floyd should be moved proved that he was aware that the Black man was in need of urgent medical attention and yet he still failed to stop “the horror right under his nose”.
“He did nothing to give Mr Floyd the medical aid he knew he so desperately needed,” she said.
All three former officers took the stand at their trial where they sought to deflect the blame onto Chauvin – who was the senior-most officer on the scene – claiming they were following his lead.
Their defence also focused on a lack of training for the situation, something that was refuted by members of law enforcement who took the stand.
In closing arguments, the attorney for Mr Kueng had told the court: “Just because something has a tragic ending does not mean it is a crime.”
Chauvin did not stand trial with the three officers after he reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors in December.
Under the terms of the deal, he pleaded guilty to the civil rights charges in exchange for being moved to federal prison.
This came after the veteran officer of 19 years was convicted of murder and manslaughter at his state trial in April.
Mr Thao, Mr Kueng and Mr Lane are still awaiting their state trial on charges of aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.
The trial has been delayed multiple times and is now expected to begin in June.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
