Ex-cops accused of violating Floyd's rights to be arraigned

MINNEAPOLIS – Four erstwhile Minneapolis constabulary officers charged with violating George Floyd's civilian rights are scheduled to beryllium arraigned successful national tribunal Tuesday astatine a proceeding that could besides code immoderate pretrial motions.

A national expansive assemblage indicted Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao successful May for allegedly depriving Floyd of his rights portion acting nether authorities authorization connected May 25, 2020, arsenic Floyd, 46, was held face-down, handcuffed and not resisting successful a restraint that was captured connected bystander video. His decease led to worldwide protests and calls for alteration successful policing.

Ad

At national arraignment hearings, defendants tin person the charges work to them, and not blameworthy pleas are typically entered. The parties were to look astatine Tuesday's proceeding via videoconference.

Prosecutors and attorneys for the erstwhile officers could besides reason respective motions connected Tuesday.

Among them, Kueng and Thao person asked that their national trials beryllium separated from Chauvin’s, saying they would beryllium unfairly prejudiced if they went to proceedings alongside him. Lane asked to articulation that request, which is being opposed by prosecutors. It wasn’t instantly wide if that contented volition travel up astatine Tuesday’s hearing, due to the fact that some sides person agreed the petition was premature and person asked to acceptable it speech until much accusation develops, according to tribunal documents.

The national indictment alleges Chauvin violated Floyd’s close to beryllium escaped from unreasonable seizure and unreasonable unit by a constabulary officer. Thao and Kueng are charged with violating Floyd’s close to beryllium escaped from unreasonable seizure by not intervening to halt Chauvin arsenic helium knelt connected Floyd’s neck. All 4 officers are besides charged with depriving Floyd of his rights erstwhile they failed to supply him with aesculapian care.

Ad

During Floyd's arrest, helium repeatedly said helium couldn’t respire arsenic Chauvin pinned him to the ground. Kueng and Lane helped restrain Floyd; Kueng knelt connected Floyd’s back, and Lane held Floyd’s legs, according to grounds successful authorities court. Thao held backmost bystanders and kept them from intervening during the 9 1/2-minute restraint.

The 4 officers were besides charged successful authorities court, wherever Chauvin’s proceedings was yet separated from the others owed to abstraction restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Chauvin was convicted successful April of execution and manslaughter and was sentenced to 22 1/2 years successful prison. The different 3 erstwhile officers look authorities proceedings adjacent March connected aiding and abetting counts.

Chauvin is besides charged successful a abstracted national indictment alleging helium violated the civilian rights of a 14-year-old lad successful 2017.

Ad

Meanwhile, the national authorities is investigating policing practices successful Minneapolis. The probe known arsenic a “pattern oregon practice” — examining whether determination is simply a signifier oregon signifier of unconstitutional oregon unlawful policing — includes a sweeping reappraisal of the full constabulary department. It whitethorn effect successful large changes to policing successful the Minnesota city.

___

Find AP’s afloat sum of the decease of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.