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       Lawyer explains why Thomas Lane not charged with second count in George Floyd trial

       The three former Minneapolis police officers who have been held for violating George Floyd’s civil rights were accused of standing by as another officer Derek Chauvin “slowly killed George Floyd right in front of them,” the prosecutors said as arguments in the case began on Monday.

       The jurors were shown the video footage of the deadly encounter which led to Floyd’s death on 25 May 2020 after the prosecutors made opening remarks. The video was taken from the officer’s body-worn cameras and from bystanders.

       Three police officers — Tou Thao, J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — have been charged with one count of violating the Black man’s civil rights by failing to provide him with medical aid.

       Mr Thao and Mr Kueng have also been held for failing to intervene and stop Derek Chauvin’s use of force. Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, while Mr Lane held his legs and Mr Kueng knelt on his back. Mr Thao was seen keeping bystanders from intervening. Throughout this, the 46-year-old Floyd was facedown, handcuffed and gasping for air.

       According to the defence attorneys, the department “let down” officers, while most-senior officer Chauvin at the scene called “all the shots” among them.

       The three officers have pleaded not guilty.

       Recommended What are the charges against the three officers on federal trial over George Floyd’s death? Three officers ‘watched as George Floyd died a slow and agonising death’, says prosecutor in opening statement Thomas Lane: What to know about former Minneapolis officer facing federal charges in George Floyd’s killing J Alexander Kueng: Former officer facing federal charges in George Floyd’s death Tou Thao: Former Minneapolis police officer faces federal charges in George Floyd’s killing

       Show latest update 1643099090 What are the charges against the three officers on federal trial over George Floyd’s death?

       J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao, who were all fired from Minneapolis Police Department in the wake of George Floyd’s killing, are standing trial on charges that they violated the Black man’s civil rights during the deadly arrest back on Memorial Day 2020.

       All three have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

       They were indicted by a federal grand jury on the civil rights charges - which are effectively hate crime charges - together with Chauvin last May.

       Rachel Sharp reports:

       Charges against the three officers on federal trial over George Floyd’s death thomas lane tou thao J Alexander Kueng trial

       Eleanor Sly 25 January 2022 08:24

       1643095144 Who is J Alexander Kueng, the former officer facing federal charges in George Floyd’s death?

       Former officers J Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao have been broadly charged with depriving George Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority.

       This comes nine months after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering the 46-year-old in 2020.

       Mr Kueng, who is Black, was present at the spot and is the youngest among all the officers.

       He, along with Mr Thao, is accused of failing to stop Chauvin and failing to help Floyd.

       Read the full story here

       Arpan Rai 25 January 2022 07:19

       1643091021 Thomas Lane: What do we know about the Minneapolis police officer?

       One of the three officers standing in trial include Thomas Lane, who was present at the spot when George Floyd was assaulted and killed.

       A member of the Minneapolis Police Department since early 2019, Mr Lane was seen pulling a gun on Floyd within 15 seconds of approaching him in a parked car.

       Mr Lane and another officer J Alexander Kueng held Floyd handcuffed inside a police car as they waited for Derek Chauvin to arrive at the scene.

       After Floyd was placed face down on the ground, Mr Lane held his legs while Mr Kueng knelt into his back, evidence showed.

       The body-mounted video camera showed Mr Lane asking twice whether Mr Floyd should be turned on his side.

       He is one of the three officers accused of failing to give medical treatment to Mr Floyd. The other officers face a second count of violating Flyod’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure.

       Alex Woodward has the full report here

       Arpan Rai 25 January 2022 06:10

       1643089384 Officers chose not to protect George Floyd, says prosecutor

       In her opening statements, prosecutor Samantha Trepel accused the three Minneapolis officers of silently watching George Floyd die and doing nothing to save him.

       “For second after second, minute after minute, these three CPR-trained defendants stood or knelt next to Officer Chauvin as he slowly killed George Floyd right in front of them,” Ms Trepel told the court.

       She added: “They chose not to protect George Floyd, the man they had handcuffed and placed in their custody”.

       “We will ask you to hold these men accountable for choosing to do nothing and watch a man die,” Ms Trepel, who works for the Justice Department’s civil rights division, said.

       She also told the court the videos showed how one of the officers Mr Thao stood directly next to the accused Derek Chauvin and taunted Floyd for using drugs instead of intervening.

       Mr Thao, prosecutor told the bystanders, “This is why you don’t use drugs”.

       Arpan Rai 25 January 2022 05:43

       1643086870 Full encounter between police and George Floyd shown to jury

       The trial of three police officers involved in George Floyd’s death began on Monday where jurors were shown videos of officers approaching and struggling with the man moments before he died.

       In the videos, the officers were seen arriving at the spot where J Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane arrived first. The men were seen putting Floyd on the ground and he is visibly struggling and says he cannot breathe.

       The camera showed Mr Lane holding Floyd’s legs, while Mr Kueng knelt on his back. Shortly after, Floyd falls silent.

       Videos shot by bystanders showed people gathering around the scene, shouting at the officers.

       The videos for the jurors have been stitched together from body-worn cameras and from bystanders clippings.

       Another video by the officers shows EMS arriving as officers put an unresponsive Floyd into an ambulance.

       The court entered the recess after the videos were shown to the jury.

       Arpan Rai 25 January 2022 05:01

       1643083759 Good morning! Welcome to the Independent’s live blog on the federal trial of three former officers over the George Floyd killing.

       Arpan Rai 25 January 2022 04:09