June 13 set for state trial date for 3 ex-officers in George Floyd killing

The state trial of three former Minneapolis police officers was postponed because they are being tried in federal court in the case.

January 19, 2022 at 7:40PM
From left, former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Three former Minneapolis police officers who were originally scheduled to be tried in March in state court in George Floyd's death will instead be tried in June.

Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill issued an order Wednesday moving the trial's start date from March 7 to June 13 after defense attorneys and prosecutors asked for a postponement.

Attorneys from both sides filed a joint motion earlier this month asking for a new trial date because the defendants — J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao — are scheduled to start trial Thursday in federal court on charges that they violated Floyd's civil rights during the May 25, 2020, arrest that led to his death.

In a separate proceeding, Kueng, Lane and Thao are each charged in state court with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. Kueng knelt on Floyd's back as Floyd lay stomach-down in the street, Lane held down his legs and Thao held back a crowd of angry bystanders as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes.

Chauvin was convicted in state court last year for murdering Floyd and later pleaded guilty in federal court to violating his civil rights. He is serving 22 12 years in prison in the state case and has yet to be sentenced in the federal case, in which prosecutors are recommending a 25-year prison term.

Cahill previously said attorneys should set aside three weeks for jury selection and five weeks for testimony in the state trial.

about the writer

about the writer

Chao Xiong

Reporter

Chao Xiong was the Hennepin County Courts reporter for the Star Tribune. He previously covered Ramsey County courts, St. Paul police, the state of Minnesota and the city of Minneapolis.

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