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Former police officers J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao have finally been sentenced to jail for their role in George Floyd's death. While Kueng is expected to be in prison for three years, Thao has been ordered to serve three and a half years in prison.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, July 27, where the duo were found guilty of violating Floyd's civil rights.
Four cops employed by the Minneapolis Police Department, including Kueng and Thao, have been found guilty in the case so far. Another officer, identified as Thomas Lane, was found guilty of constitutional violations for failing to provide necessary medical aid to Floyd even after the latter requested for it.
Lane had asked if Floyd should be turned onto his side so that he could breathe. He was convicted on one federal count and sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison.
Primary aggressor Derek Chauvin, who had his knee on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, was convicted of murder and manslaughter earlier. Chauvin pleaded guilty and was ordered to serve 21 years in federal prison.
The brutal and unprovoked murder of George Floyd in the hands of the police had triggered a wave of protests across the country at the time.
George Floyd murder case: Keung and Thao will be placed on supervised release for two years after prison time
Along with serving jail time for their respective time periods, Kueng and Thao have been ordered by the court to pay $200 as a special assessment. They will also be placed on supervised release for two years once they are out of jail.
At the trial, the two accused officers tried to defend themselves. Kueng told jurors that he could not do much as Chauvin was a senior officer on scene with more than 15 years of experience. Former officer Thao told the court that he thought the other cops on the scene were "taking care" of Floyd.
Furthermore, Thao said that he took on the role of controlling the crowds and traffic. When asked by prosecutors why he didn't stop or tell Chauvin to take his knee off Floyd's neck, he said:
"I think I would trust a 19-year veteran to figure it out."
Kristen Clarke, assistant Attorney General for the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division, announced in a statement that the federal prosecution of the police officers associated with Floyd's death should discourage further abuse of power. She said:
"The federal prosecution of all officers tied to the death of George Floyd should send a clear and powerful message that the Department of Justice will never tolerate the unlawful abuse of power or victimization of Americans by anyone in law enforcement."
It is jarring to think how this case would have turned out had a bystander not captured the incident on camera. In the video, Floyd could be heard begging for help while continually stating that he could not breathe. The video caused a massive stir and triggered nation-wide protests opposing police brutality with the slogan, "Black Lives Matter."
