Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - One of the final two Minneapolis police officers facing state charges in the murder of George Floyd has pleaded guilty.
J. Alexander Kueng pleaded guilty Monday morning – the day his and co-defendant Tou Thao’s trial was set to begin with jury selection. Meanwhile, Thao has agreed to a stipulated bench trial, so there won’t be jury selection.
Both men are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter for Floyd's killing in May 2020.
In the infamous video showing Floyd's killing, Thao was shown holding back members of the crowd who had gathered as police held down Floyd. Kueng was shown kneeling on Floyd's midsection and lower body as Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck.
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Thao and Kueng both previously rejected plea offers this past summer in the case. Both men have also already been convicted on federal charges of depriving Floyd of his civil rights. Thao and Kueng were both offed 36-month sentences to run concurrently with their federal sentence but opted to go to trial instead. Thao was sentenced to 3 ½ years (42 months) in federal prison while Kueng got three years in federal prison. Thao and Kueng said they would appeal their federal sentences.
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Thao and Kueng began serving their federal sentences earlier this month.
Chauvin was convicted in April 2021 on murder charges for Floyd's killing. He was sentenced to 22 ½ years in prison for the killing. He also pled guilty to federal charges before the trial in January. Thomas Lane, the fourth and final officer involved in the killing, was convicted of federal charges and pled guilty to state charges. He received a three-year sentence on the state charges.