On the final morning of their civil rights trial, a federal prosecutor described to jurors how three former Minneapolis police officers watched and listened but did not help as Derek Chauvin killed a man "in broad daylight on a public street."
The officers knew George Floyd needed aid, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Manda Sertich. They were trained that every second counted when it came to starting life-saving procedures for an unresponsive man. They had the ability to help Floyd, she said. But they didn't.
Former officer Tou Thao's attorney, Robert Paule, called Floyd's death a tragedy. "However, a tragedy is not a crime," he said.
Sertich began a full day of closing arguments in St. Paul's federal courthouse Tuesday, followed by three separate statements from the defense attorneys who said their clients did all they could.
Instead of intervening, Sertich said, officer Thao "mocked" Floyd, telling concerned bystanders that this is "why you don't do drugs, kids." Officer Thomas Lane did suggest turning Floyd over, which Sertich said proves he recognized the medical emergency. But when Chauvin denied the request, Lane did nothing to help Floyd, she said.
Officer J. Alexander Kueng held Floyd below the waist and "casually picked gravel out of the tire in front of him," then laughed when Chauvin said that the dying man talked a lot for someone who claimed he couldn't breathe, she said.
"They chose not to aid George Floyd, as the window into which Mr. Floyd's life could have been saved slammed shut," Sertich said in closing remarks that spanned almost two hours. "This is a crime. The defendants are guilty as charged."
Attorneys for Lane and Kueng both emphasized their clients were rookies, and Minneapolis police code dictated they defer to Chauvin, the most senior officer on scene.