Ex-Police Officer Sentenced to three.5 Years Over Involvement in Demise of George Floyd

The sentence on Friday comes after Kueng in October pleaded responsible to at least one state depend of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

As a part of a plea deal, Kueng agreed to a sentence of three.5 years in jail in alternate for prosecutors dropping one depend of aiding and abetting second-degree homicide.

The state sentence is to be served concurrently as his federal sentence and in federal custody. Since early October, Kueng has been in jail in Ohio. He appeared at his sentencing by way of video from the jail and declined an opportunity to deal with the court docket.

Floyd household lawyer Ben Crump stated in a press release earlier than the listening to that Kueng’s sentencing “delivers one more piece of justice for the Floyd household.”

“Whereas the household faces one more vacation season with out George, we hope that moments like these proceed to deliver them a measure of peace, figuring out that George’s dying was not in useless,” he stated.

As a part of his plea settlement, Kueng admitted that he held Floyd’s torso, that he knew from his expertise and coaching that restraining a handcuffed particular person in a inclined place created a considerable danger and that the restraint of Floyd was unreasonable below the circumstances.

Rookie Cop

Kueng’s lawyer, Thomas Plunkett, on Friday famous that Kueng was a rookie who had solely been on the job on his personal for 3 days. Plunkett accused the division management of getting failed to coach to encourage officers to intervene when their colleagues are doing one thing incorrect.

“On behalf of Mr. Kueng, I’m not calling for justice. I’m calling for progress,” he stated.

Earlier than in the end agreeing to a plea deal, Kueng and fellow former Minneapolis officer Tou Thao had informed a decide in August that they had rejected plea offers that may have given them state jail sentences of three years. On the time, Thao informed the court docket it could be a “lie and a sin” if he pleaded responsible. Thao has not since modified his plea.

In October, Thao agreed to a “stipulated proof trial” on the depend of aiding and abetting manslaughter, which signifies that he waived his proper to testify and his proper to a jury. His attorneys and prosecutors are figuring out agreed-upon proof in his case and submitting written closing arguments. Choose Peter Cahill will then determine the decision.

George Floyd, then 46, died in Could 2020. His dying sparked protests nationwide during which individuals rallied towards racism and police brutality.

4 former officers from the Minneapolis Police Division—Kueng amongst them—had been convicted over Floyd’s dying. Through the arrest, Kueng knelt on Floyd’s again, Thomas Lane restrained Floyd’s decrease physique, and Tou Thao was standing close by to work the gang that had gathered close to the scene.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who had held his knee towards Floyd’s neck in the course of the arrest for nearly 9 minutes, was convicted in April 2021 of second-degree homicide, third-degree homicide, and second-degree manslaughter prices in connection to Floyd’s dying. He was sentenced to 22-and-a-half years in jail in June 2021 on the state convictions.

Chauvin later pleaded responsible in December 2021 to violating Floyd’s civil rights and got here to a plea settlement for the federal prices. He was sentenced to 21 years in jail in July. The federal sentence is being served concurrently with the state sentence. Chauvin is incarcerated in federal jail.

Kueng, Lane, and Thao had been convicted by a jury in federal court docket on Feb. 24 of violating Floyd’s civil rights by not coming to his assist. Kueng and Thao had been additionally convicted of failing to intervene to cease Chauvin. Lane was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail and two years of supervised launch. Thao was sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail, and Kueng was sentenced to 3 years.

Lane had additionally individually reached a plea settlement for state prices. He pleaded responsible to at least one depend of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter, and prosecutors dropped one depend of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional homicide. He was sentenced on the state prices on Sept. 21 to 3 years in jail, which might be served in federal custody concurrently his federal sentence.

The Related Press contributed to this report.