Prosecutor: 3 officers in George Floyd killing 'chose to do nothing'
The prosecutor gave closing arguments in the monthlong civil rights trial Tuesday. Jurors were expected to begin deliberations Wednesday.
LEARN MOREMay 2, 2023
The former Minneapolis police officer who held back the crowd in the infamous George Floyd death video has been found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter.
Tou Thao had already been convicted on federal charges of "deliberate indifference" and "failure to intervene" but was the last of four officers to face judgment in Minnesota state court over Floyd’s killing.
Thao previously argued that he served as full-time crowd control and never touched Floyd.
After Thao rejected a plea deal, the decision was left to Minnesota Judge Peter Cahill, who in a 177-page filing, found him guilty.
Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP
"Thao's actions were not authorized by law," Cahill said in a filing obtained by the Associated Press. "There is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Thao's actions were objectively unreasonable from the perspective of a reasonable police officer, when viewed under the totality of the circumstances."
George Floyd was killed in May 2020 when former officer Derek Chauvin, also charged with his death, kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nine-and-a-half minutes during an arrest. Former officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were also charged.
