The U.S. Justice Department has dropped its appeal of federal sentences imposed last year on two ex-Minneapolis police officers convicted of violating George Floyd's civil rights during his 2020 murder.
U.S. Justice Department drops appeal of federal sentences for J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao
Kueng and Lane also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting manslaughter charges in connection with George Floyd's death and are serving their state sentences concurrently.
January 11, 2023 at 11:08PM
The Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals granted a request from federal prosecutors to drop their appeals of the sentences in the cases of J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao. Kueng and Thao are still appealing their convictions in the case handed down by a jury last year.
Senior U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson imposed federal prison sentences on Kueng, Thao, Derek Chauvin and Thomas Lane that were below what prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota and Department of Justice sought and they initially appealed for longer sentences until Wednesday.
Thao is serving a 3 ½-year sentence while Kueng was sentenced to three years in prison. Lane is serving a 2½-year sentence. Chauvin was convicted of murder and manslaughter and received a 22½-year state sentence. He later pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd's civil rights.
Kueng and Lane also pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting manslaughter charges in connection with Floyd's death and are serving their state sentences concurrently. Thao agreed to a bench trial, meaning a judge will reach a verdict by mid-February.
On May 25, 2020, Floyd died after Chauvin knelt on his neck while Lane held his legs and Kueng knelt on his back. Thao prevented bystanders from intervening during the street corner confrontation in south Minneapolis.
The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment.
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