J. ALEXANDER KUENG

Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back, and Lane held Floyd’s legs. Thao and Kueng also are charged with willfully violating Floyd's right to be free from unreasonable seizure by not intervening. DETAILS ABOUT CHAUVINMonths after his conviction in state court, Chauvin pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights violation. Federal defendants sometimes agree to testify or offer “substantial assistance” to prosecutors in hopes of getting a reduced sentence. The agreement also says that Chauvin did not observe Thao or Kueng do or say anything to try to get Chauvin to stop.

As the federal trial for three former Minneapolis officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights is set to begin Monday, some wonder whether Derek Chauvin will take the stand.

Prosecutors in the trial of three former Minneapolis police officers on civil rights charges in George Floyd’s killing are asking the judge to open at least parts of a hearing on the admissibility of some evidence.

The single day of jury selection was remarkably rapid compared with Chauvin’s trial on state charges, where the process took more than two weeks. The apparent jury makeup would also sharply contrast with Chauvin’s jury, which was half white and half nonwhite. Three of the jurors who will deliberate at the federal trial and one of the alternates are from Hennepin County, where Minneapolis is located. Such federal civil rights violations are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but federal sentencing guidelines indicate the officers would get much less if convicted. ___Find AP's full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floydCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

A closed hearing in the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers in George Floyd’s killing was canceled Friday after prosecutors and the media objected.

A jury of 18 people who appeared mostly white was picked Thursday for the federal trial of three Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s killing.

The single day of jury selection was remarkably rapid compared with Chauvin’s trial on state charges, where the process took more than two weeks. The apparent jury makeup would also sharply contrast with Chauvin’s jury, which was half white and half nonwhite. Three of the jurors who will deliberate at the federal trial and one of the alternates are from Hennepin County, where Minneapolis is located. Such federal civil rights violations are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but federal sentencing guidelines indicate the officers would get much less if convicted. ___Find AP's full coverage of the killing of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floydCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Jury selection took just one day for the federal trial. By comparison, at Chauvin’s state trial, the judge and attorneys questioned each juror individually and spent more than two weeks picking a panel. Afterward, Magnuson said he understood such concerns about “anarchy in streets” but “that fear cannot control in a courtroom.”The jury pool was selected from throughout the state — much more conservative and less diverse than the Minneapolis area from which the jury for Chauvin’s state trial was drawn. The federal court declined a request to provide demographic information on jurors in the civil rights trial. Such federal civil rights violations are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but those stiff sentences are extremely rare and federal sentencing guidelines indicate the officers would get much less if convicted.

(Court TV via AP, Pool, File) (Uncredited)ST. PAUL, Minn. — (AP) — A jury has been selected in the federal trial of three Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s killing. Legal experts say prosecutors in this case have the difficult task of proving the officers willfully violated Floyd’s constitutional rights. The jury pool for the officers’ federal trial was selected from throughout the state — much more conservative and less diverse than the Minneapolis area from which the jury for Chauvin’s state trial was drawn. The federal court declined a request to provide demographic information on jurors in the civil rights trial. Magnuson has said he believes jury selection could take two days, unlike Chauvin's state trial, where the judge and attorneys questioned each juror individually and spent more than two weeks picking a panel.

J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao stand accused of violating Floyd's civil rights by failing to provide him with medical aid during the May 2020 arrest in Minneapolis.

A state court trial for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd has been rescheduled for June 13, 2022, after both the defense and prosecutors requested a postponement. J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are broadly charged with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority. In the federal case, they’re charged with what they didn’t do — and that’s an important distinction. In December, he pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd's rights. “This trial is going to present an evolutionary step beyond what we saw at the Chauvin trial because we’re not looking at the killer, but the people who enable the killer.

That’s a high legal standard; an accident, bad judgment or simple negligence on the officer’s part isn’t enough to support federal charges. Historically, federal charges have been brought after a state case was unsuccessful, Phil Turner, another former federal prosecutor, said. Most of the high-profile fatal shootings by police in recent years have not resulted in federal charges, though activists have called for them. A year later, he pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Scott’s civil rights; prosecutors dropped state murder charges. Federal civil rights violations that result in death are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but those sentences are extremely rare.

A state court trial for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd has been rescheduled for June 13, 2022, after both the defense and prosecutors requested a postponement. J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are broadly charged with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority. In the federal case, they’re charged with what they didn’t do — and that’s an important distinction. In December, he pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd's rights. “This trial is going to present an evolutionary step beyond what we saw at the Chauvin trial because we’re not looking at the killer, but the people who enable the killer.

A state court trial for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd has been rescheduled for June 13, 2022, after both the defense and prosecutors requested a postponement. J. Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are broadly charged with depriving Floyd of his civil rights while acting under government authority. In the federal case, they’re charged with what they didn’t do — and that’s an important distinction. In December, he pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd's rights. “This trial is going to present an evolutionary step beyond what we saw at the Chauvin trial because we’re not looking at the killer, but the people who enable the killer.

George Floyd Other Officers Who Are They? Three former Minneapolis officers headed to trial this week on federal civil rights charges in the death of George Floyd aren't as familiar to most people as Derek Chauvin, a fellow officer who was convicted of murder last spring. After the federal trial, Lane, Kueng and Thao face state charges of aiding and abetting murder. Kueng's attorney is Tom Plunkett, who helped represent former Minneapolis Officer Mohamed Noor in the 2017 shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. ___Find AP's full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floydCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Three former Minneapolis officers who face federal civil rights charges in the killing of George Floyd aren’t as familiar to most people as Derek Chauvin, a fellow officer who was convicted of murder last spring.

Three former officers who were with Derek Chauvin during the arrest that led to George Floyd’s death face federal trial this week on charges they violated the Black man’s civil rights.

Three former officers who were with Derek Chauvin during the arrest that led to George Floyd’s killing face federal trial on charges they violated the Black man’s civil rights.

George Floyd’s death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event.

George Floyd’s death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event.

George Floyd Other Officers Who Are They? Three former Minneapolis officers headed to trial this week on federal civil rights charges in the death of George Floyd aren't as familiar to most people as Derek Chauvin, a fellow officer who was convicted of murder last spring. After the federal trial, Lane, Kueng and Thao face state charges of aiding and abetting murder. Kueng's attorney is Tom Plunkett, who helped represent former Minneapolis Officer Mohamed Noor in the 2017 shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. ___Find AP's full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floydCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

That’s a high legal standard; an accident, bad judgment or simple negligence on the officer’s part isn’t enough to support federal charges. Historically, federal charges have been brought after a state case was unsuccessful, Phil Turner, another former federal prosecutor, said. Most of the high-profile fatal shootings by police in recent years have not resulted in federal charges, though activists have called for them. A year later, he pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Scott’s civil rights; prosecutors dropped state murder charges. Federal civil rights violations that result in death are punishable by up to life in prison or even death, but those sentences are extremely rare.

George Floyd Officers Civil Rights A fence is seen placed around the entire perimeter of the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. In December, he pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd's rights. Baker said he would advise them not to, because their testimony could be used against them in a state trial. As rare as federal prosecutions of officers are, it's rarer still that such a case would precede a state trial. “This trial is going to present an evolutionary step beyond what we saw at the Chauvin trial because we’re not looking at the killer, but the people who enable the killer.

Three former Minneapolis officers headed to a federal trial on civil rights charges this week in the death of George Floyd aren’t as familiar to most people as Derek Chauvin, a fellow officer who was convicted of murder last spring.

The federal trial for three former Minneapolis police officers who were with Derek Chauvin when he pinned George Floyd to the street is expected to be complex as prosecutors try to prove each officer willingly violated the Black man’s constitutional rights.

Data show it's rare for police officers to be convicted of on-duty killings.

The three former Minneapolis police officers charged with federal civil rights violations in George Floyd's death will go on trial Jan. 20, 2022. Lane, who does not face that charge, twice asked his fellow officers whether they should roll Floyd onto his side. Prosecutors had noted that the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers' actions resulted in Floyd's death. On Tuesday, the judge overseeing that case denied a defense request to reconsider his order to allow the trial to be livestreamed. ___Find AP's full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floydCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

The three former Minneapolis police officers charged with federal civil rights violations in George Floyd's death will go on trial Jan. 20, 2022. Specifically, the officers are charged with depriving Floyd of the right to be free from indifference to his medical needs. Last month, he pleaded guilty to a federal count of violating Floyd's civil rights. Prosecutors disagree, saying the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers' actions resulted in Floyd's death. ___Find AP's full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floydCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

The judge handling the federal trial for three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights is urging attorneys to “move the case along” to reduce chances that the proceeding will be disrupted by COVID-19.

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has pleaded guilty to a federal count alleging he willfully deprived George Floyd of his rights during the May 25, 2020, arrest that led to the Black man’s death.

Former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin has pleaded guilty to a federal charge of violating George Floyd’s civil rights.

Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin appears to be on the verge of pleading guilty to violating George Floyd’s civil rights.

Legal experts say last week's ruling makes it highly unlikely that a charge of aiding and abetting third-degree murder would be added. The ruling settles a longstanding debate over whether a third-degree murder charge can be applied if a fatal act is directed at someone specific. Experts say Chauvin’s third-degree murder conviction will likely be tossed out, either on appeal or by the trial judge. But it won’t have any real impact on his situation, unless his second-degree murder conviction is somehow overturned on appeal. Brandt said a charge of aiding and abetting third-degree murder is theoretically possible, but not practical.

The Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the third-degree murder conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer won’t change the cases against the three former officers charged in George Floyd’s death.

A former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in George Floyd's death has pleaded not guilty to allegedly violating a teenager's civil rights in a separate case that involved a restraint similar to the one used on Floyd.

The four former officers were charged this year for allegedly violating Floyd's constitutional rights.

Four former Minneapolis police officers accused of violating George Floyd’s constitutional rights while detaining the 46-year-old in May 2020, are set to appear in federal court Tuesday for an arraignment. Chauvin, Thao, Kueng and Lane are accused of willfully ignoring Floyd’s medical needs during an arrest, “acting with deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm to Floyd,” according to the indictment. >> Related: Derek Chauvin trial: Teen who witnessed George Floyd’s death says, ‘I felt like I was failing him’The former officers are set to appear in court Tuesday via teleconference. In April, a Minnesota jury convicted Chauvin of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for Floyd’s death. Thao, Lane and Kueng have also been charged in state court with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

The former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd's civil rights are scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP File) (Uncredited)MINNEAPOLIS — (AP) — Four former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd's civil rights are scheduled to be arraigned in federal court Tuesday at a hearing that could also address some pretrial motions. The federal indictment alleges Chauvin violated Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure and unreasonable force by a police officer. Thao and Kueng are charged with violating Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure by not intervening to stop Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd’s neck. Kueng and Lane helped restrain Floyd; Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back, and Lane held Floyd’s legs, according to evidence in state court.

Four former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights have pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against them.

Lane, Kueng and Thao are scheduled to stand trial next March on charges of aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's May 2020 death. Before Chauvin’s trial, attorneys for all four men requested the trials be broadcast, but Lane and Kueng recently backtracked, with their attorneys saying that the “worldwide publicity” from televised coverage of Chauvin’s trail “crushed” their clients’ right to a fair trial. They favor livestreaming the second trial as well, saying defense claims that audio-video coverage will deny them a fair trial is unconvincing. An officer’s duty to intervene came up often during testimony in Chauvin’s trial. Numerous attorneys from the attorney general's office and the Hennepin County attorney's office have filed affidavits stating they weren't the source of the leaked information.

It’s among a few legal issues expected to be argued at a Thursday hearing before Judge Peter Cahill. Lane, Kueng and Tou Thao are scheduled for trial next March on charges of aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter in Floyd's May 2020 death. Thao's attorney hasn't said whether his client still wants the trial broadcast. They favor livestreaming the second trial as well, saying defense claims that audio-video coverage will deny them a fair trial is unconvincing. The court is also expected to address a defense request for sanctions after the New York Times reported that Chauvin had been prepared to plead guilty days after Floyd's death.

Attorneys for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd's death asked a judge Thursday to bar their upcoming trial from being livestreamed, saying some witnesses won’t testify if proceedings are broadcast.

Three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights are asking that their federal trials be separated from the trial of Derek Chauvin, who has already been convicted on state murder charges.

George Floyd's death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event.

The four former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights will be arraigned on the federal charges in September.

The suit suggests there might be more records on the officers who killed George Floyd

Prosecutors are asking a judge for more time to prepare for the federal trial of four former police officers facing civil rights charges in George Floyd’s death.

The former Minneapolis police officer convicted of murder in last year’s death of George Floyd has made an initial appearance in federal court for allegedly violating Floyd's civil rights.

Prosecutors are seeking an additional charge of aiding and abetting third-degree murder for Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao.

Prosecutors want to add the third charge following an appeals court ruling in February. Chauvin was convicted last month of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter and is awaiting sentencing. The issue of the third-degree murder count has been complicated in this case. In that case, the court upheld the third-degree murder conviction for former officer Mohamed Noor in the 2017 shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. The Appeals Court then ruled that the Noor opinion set binding precedent, even though it remains before the state Supreme Court.

Attorneys for the state and for three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd's death have appeared before the Minnesota Court of Appeals as prosecutors sought to add an additional charge to the case.

All four officers also face federal charges that they violated Floyd's civil rights during his May 25 arrest. Judge Peter Cahill said he moved the other officers' trial so the federal case can go forward first. He also said he felt the need to put some distance between the three officers’ trial and Chauvin’s due to the high-profile nature of the case. During Thursday's hearing, attorneys for the defense argued that prosecutors should be sanctioned after media reports that Chauvin had planned to plead guilty a year ago. A prosecutor from the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said they would do the same.

The ex-cops will be tried on federal civil rights charges before a state trial for aiding Derek Chauvin, WCCO reports.

Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao were scheduled to face trial Aug. 23 on charges they aided and abetted both murder and manslaughter. All four officers also face federal charges that allege they violated Floyd’s civil rights during his May 25 arrest. He also said he felt the need to put some distance between the three officers’ trial and Chauvin’s due to all the publicity around the case. The news that the trial was being pushed back came during a Thursday hearing on pretrial motions. Paule alleged that the leaks came from the state, and asked that anyone who did so be barred from participating in the trial.

Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office is prosecuting the officers, has said allegations that his office was involved in a leak are false. A spokeswoman for Dr. Andrew Baker, the medical examiner, said they could not comment due to the pending case. Chauvin, who was seen in widely viewed bystander video pressing his knee into Floyd's neck as the Black man said he couldn't breathe, was convicted in April of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Bob Paule, Thao's attorney, said in a court filing Wednesday that Baker initially said there was no physical evidence that Floyd died of asphyxiation. When Baker released final autopsy findings June 1, they included neck compression, Paule wrote, and Mitchell never submitted his piece to the newspaper.

The trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting in George Floyd's death has been pushed back to March 2022.

A judge found prosecutors had proven beyond a reasonable doubt four of five aggravating factors in Floyd’s killing that they argued should result in a tougher prison sentence.

George Floyd’s brother and nephew expressed gratitude after a federal grand jury indicted the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in his death.

The Justice Department is sending a strong signal about its priorities these days.

George Floyd Officers Civil Rights This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, shows from left, Minneapolis Police Officers Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Specifically, Chauvin is charged with violating Floyd's right to be free from unreasonable seizure and unreasonable force by a police officer. Chauvin was convicted last month on state charges of murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death and is in Minnesota's only maximum-security prison as he awaits sentencing. Kueng and Lane also helped restrain Floyd — state prosecutors have said Kueng knelt on Floyd’s back and Lane held down Floyd’s legs. That’s a high legal standard; an accident, bad judgment or simple negligence on the officer’s part isn’t enough to support federal charges.

Federal grand jury This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, shows from left, Minneapolis Police Officers Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File) (AP)A federal grand jury has indicted four former Minneapolis police officers, including convicted officer Derek Chauvin, saying they violated George Floyd’s constitutional rights. >> Read more trending newsThe Associated Press reported that three counts were handed down against Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao. Federal grand jury This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, shows from left, Minneapolis Police Officers Derek Chauvin, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File) (AP)Chauvin, Thao and Kueng face charges that they violated Floyd’s right to be free from unreasonable seizure and excessive force.

Derek Chauvin and other former Minneapolis cops were indicted for civil rights violations weeks after a jury convicted Chauvin of murdering George Floyd.

A federal grand jury has indicted the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in George Floyd’s arrest and death, accusing them of willfully violating the Black man’s constitutional rights as he was restrained face-down on the pavement and gasping for air.

Derek Chauvin, who was convicted of murder and manslaughter charges, deserved a more severe sentence after he inflicted "gratuitous pain" on George Floyd last year, argued Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D).

With Derek Chauvin convicted of murder in George Floyd’s death, activists and the Floyd family are turning their attention to this summer's trial for the other three officers involved in his May 2020 arrest.

George Floyd's death after his arrest by police officers in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, sparked widespread anger after millions of people saw video of the event.

As the trial approaches for Chauvin, who is charged with murder in Floyd's death, prosecutors are putting the time Chauvin's knee was on Floyd's neck at about nine minutes. Officer Derek Chauvin uses his knee to pin Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while bystanders shout at him to stop. AdMay 31 — Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead prosecutions in Floyd's death. AdFeb. 12 — City leaders say George Floyd Square, the intersection blocked by barricades since Floyd's death, will reopen to traffic after Chauvin's trial. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

Weren’t Derek Chauvin and other officers “duty bound to deal with the arrestee as they find them?” Cahill asked. That duty could be key at the trial that starts with opening statements Monday, especially as the defense asserts that Floyd's swallowing of pills contributed to his death. The Minneapolis Police Department sought to train its officers to minimize violence in the years before Floyd died. Floyd's death indicates the 2016 reforms in Minneapolis didn't work, he said. The officers get Floyd to the ground and hold him there.

As the trial approaches for Chauvin, who is charged with murder in Floyd's death, prosecutors are putting the time Chauvin's knee was on Floyd's neck at about nine minutes. Officer Derek Chauvin uses his knee to pin Floyd's neck for about nine minutes while bystanders shout at him to stop. AdMay 31 — Walz says Attorney General Keith Ellison will lead prosecutions in Floyd's death and the nationwide protests continue. Feb. 12 — City leaders say George Floyd Square, the intersection blocked by barricades since Floyd's death, will reopen to traffic after Chauvin's trial. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd

As the trial approaches for Chauvin, who is charged with murder in Floyd's death, prosecutors are putting the time Chauvin's knee was on Floyd's neck at about nine minutes. The fact that the figure has evolved probably won't matter at Chauvin’s trial, which begins Monday with jury selection. He had been handcuffed and was pleading that he couldn't breathe, but Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck even after he stopped moving and speaking. The narrative in the initial complaint filed May 29 by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says Chauvin held his knee to Floyd’s neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds. This means Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck for at least nine minutes flat, but possibly for as long as 9 minutes, 31 seconds.

The New York Times first reported that a grand jury was hearing testimony against Chauvin. Floyd’s death sparked protests in Minneapolis and beyond and led to a nationwide reckoning on race. Like Chauvin, all three were fired soon after Floyd’s death. It’s unclear what specifically prompted the increased grand jury activity in the last few weeks, though most federal grand juries are discharged after about 18 months. Barr rejected the deal in part because he felt it was too soon as the investigation into Floyd’s death was still in its relative infancy, the officials said.

Chauvin, who held his knee to the neck of George Floyd for several minutes, will be tried separately from three other former officers accused in his death, according to scheduling orders filed Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)MINNEAPOLIS – A former Minneapolis police officer who held his knee to George Floyd's neck for minutes will be tried separately from the three other former officers accused in his death, according to an order filed Tuesday that cites limited courtroom space due to COVID-19 restrictions. Derek Chauvin will stand trial alone in March while the other three former officers will be tried together in the summer. Former officers Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng are each charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Defense attorneys had argued last year that the officers should be tried separately, but prosecutors argued against it.

Prosecutors in the case against the four Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd requested that the trial delayed by three months. Prosecutors cited the COVID-19 pandemic and the amount of time needed before enough people are vaccinated and health risks are sufficiently diminished. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP)MINNEAPOLIS – Prosecutors in the case against the four Minneapolis officers charged in the death of George Floyd requested that the trial delayed by three months. Chauvin’s attorney, Eric Nelson, said he doesn't intend to object to the prosecution seeking a delay in the trial. “The pandemic has been around for a while.”Thao’s lawyer, Robert Paule, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

MINNEAPOLIS – A judge on Thursday rejected defense requests to move the trial of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd's death, and also ordered that all four will be tried together instead of separately. Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill ruled after defense attorneys had argued that pretrial publicity had made it impossible for the four men to get a fair trial in Minneapolis. But Cahill said he was not convinced that moving the trial would improve security, and that he believes the jury can be protected from outside influences. Moving the trial away from Minneapolis to a less diverse area also likely would affect the makeup of the jury, though the judge didn't address that issue. Floyd’s death sparked protests in Minneapolis and beyond, and led to a nationwide reckoning on race.

Floyd’s death was captured in widely seen bystander video that set off protests around the world. As darkness fell Wednesday evening, hundreds of people took to the streets in south Minneapolis where protests were centered in the days after George Floyd’s death. In Minnesota, someone who posts bond is required to pay 10%, in this case $100,000, to the bail bond company. Chauvin's wife, Kellie Chauvin, filed for divorce shortly after Floyd's death. The other three officers charged in Floyd's death had previously posted bond amounts of $750,000 and have been free pending trial.

The judge overseeing the case has yet to decide whether cameras will be allowed. But the state attorney general’s office, which is prosecuting the case, opposes them, saying cameras would only create more problems. The former officers have consented to cameras, but prosecutors have resisted, saying they may revisit the issue as the trial nears. Defense attorneys say cameras would help ensure the trial is fair and open during the pandemic, when courtroom attendance has been limited to allow for social distancing. Kirtley, who is part of the coalition, said any concerns that cameras would be disruptive can be managed by the judge.

Protesters hold a die-in outside the Hennepin County Family Justice Center where four former Minneapolis police officers appeared at a hearing Friday, Sept. 11, 2020, in Minneapolis. The officers are charged in the death of George Floyd who died in police custody in May. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

In one July 2019 arrest, prosecutors say, Derek Chauvin kicked an intoxicated male in the midsection, then applied a neck restraint until he fell unconscious. In June 2017, Chauvin restrained an arrested female by placing his knee on her neck while she was prone on the ground, prosecutors said. Prosecutors said in those cases and in two others, Chauvin held the restraints “beyond the point when such force was needed under the circumstances." Floyd, a Black man in handcuffs, died May 25 after Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd's neck even as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe. In addition to the arrests in which Chauvin used neck or head and upper body restraints, prosecutors also listed an August 2015 incident in which Chauvin saw other officers place a suicidal and intoxicated male into a side-recovery position after using a stun gun on him.

This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, shows Derek Chauvin, from left, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Kueng, Lane and Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin. Minneapolis adopted a policy in 2016 requiring officers to intervene when colleagues are using inappropriate force. Yet three other officers at the scene failed to stop 19-year police veteran Derek Chauvin when he put his knee on Floyd's neck despite Floyd's cries that he couldn't breathe. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP)

Yet three other officers at the scene failed to stop 19-year police veteran Derek Chauvin when he put his knee on Floyd's neck despite Floyd's cries that he couldn't breathe. Floyd, a Black man who was in handcuffs, died May 25 after Derek Chauvin pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe and became motionless. Mike Brandt, a defense attorney not connected to the case, said countering that video with Floyd's past is good strategy. “You are trying to push the pendulum back … from those damning videos of Chauvin with his knee on Floyd’s neck," he said. In documents requesting dismissal, Lane's attorney, Earl Gray, wrote about Floyd’s prior charges of armed robbery and drug possession in Texas.

A former Minneapolis police officer involved in George Floyd's arrest told investigators that he was focused on crowd control and minimized his role in the actions that led to Floyd's death, video of the interview shows. "I don’t want anyone to die,” Thao told an investigator who asked what his reaction was to Floyd's death. My heart kind of sank.”Thao voluntarily participated in the 1-hour, 40-minute interview with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension eight days after Floyd's death. Thao also said he has never used the maneuver that Chauvin used to pin Floyd to the ground. Floyd's death sparked protests around the globe against racial injustice and police brutality.

MINNEAPOLIS Newly released body-camera video from a third officer involved in George Floyds arrest captures for the first time the growing horror of onlookers who repeatedly pleaded with the officers to get off Floyd. The video made available Thursday comes from fired Officer Tou Thao, one of four former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of Floyd, a handcuffed Black man. Floyd died after a white officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee against Floyd's neck for nearly eight minutes on a south Minneapolis street May 25 as Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe. That footage, along with Thao's video, shows Floyd pleading with the officers as they struggle to place him in the squad car in the moments before his death. Floyd repeatedly said he could not breathe and called out for his mother before passing out.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump wears a face mask with the words "Where's the love?" after announcing Wednesday, July 15, 2020 in Minneapolis the filing of a civil lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis and the officers involved in the death of George Floyd. Floyd died at the hands of police during an arrest on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

It also captures an apparent lack of urgency to render aid to Floyd for long minutes after he stopped moving. Lane, Kueng and another officer, Tou Thao, are charged with aiding and abetting. When Floyd did not immediately display his hands, Lane pulled his gun, leading Floyd to say he had been shot before. The video shows Lane performing constant chest compressions by hand with no visible results. Gray said the bystander video shows just the last piece of what happened and “is not fair.”Gray's request highlighted portions of the body camera video that show Floyd “actively resisting and acting erratic” with officers.