Former Minnesota Police Officer Tou Thao Sentenced to 4 Years and 9 Months in Prison for Complicity in George Floyd’s Murder

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Former Minneapolis Police Officer Sentenced to Four Years and Nine Months in Complicity of George Floyd’s Murder

Minneapolis – A former Minneapolis police officer, Tou Thao, has been sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for his involvement in the murder of George Floyd last year, local media reported. Thao, who held off bystanders as his colleague Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd’s neck to the ground, becomes the last officer to be convicted in the case.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill handed down a harsher sentence than the 4 years and three months requested by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Thao’s ruling will run concurrently with the 3 1/2 years he previously received for violating Floyd’s civil rights in a federal conviction.

Thao, a nine-year veteran of the police force, was found guilty of one count of accessory to second-degree manslaughter for his role in Floyd’s death.

Derek Chauvin, the white officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, was earlier convicted of manslaughter and received a 22 1/2-year sentence in state prison. Chauvin also faced federal charges for violating Floyd’s civil rights, resulting in an additional 21-year sentence.

At the time of Floyd’s arrest, Thao, along with two other officers, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, assisted in subduing him. Lane and Kueng pleaded guilty in state court last year to accessory to second-degree manslaughter. Lane received a three and a half-year prison sentence, while Kueng was sentenced to three years.

In a federal trial, Lane and Kueng were found guilty of violating Floyd’s civil rights as well. Lane received a 2 1/2-year federal prison sentence, while Kueng will serve three years concurrently with his state sentence.

The murder of George Floyd sparked widespread protests against racism and police brutality in the United States and around the world. The incident brought renewed attention to systemic issues in law enforcement and called for reforms to address racial injustice.

Thao’s lawyers have not yet responded to requests for comment on the recent sentencing.

(with information from Reuters)

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