George Floyd Case Updates: Chauvin, Three Other Officers Indicted

Four former Minneapolis police officers were indicted by a federal grand jury on Friday for their involvement in George Floyd’s death.

Derek Chauvin, who was already found guilty on three state charges, is joined by fellow former officers Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao in facing federal charges for violating Floyd’s constitutional rights.

Floyd was restrained face-down in the street and unable to breathe, which ultimately contributed to his death, acording to ABC News. Chauvin was convicted on three murder and manslaughter charges in April after a week-long trial, and is now facing these federal charges as well.

Thao and Kueng are being charged with violating Floyd’s right to be freed from Chauvin while he was having a seizure, as well as the former officers failing to provide medical care to the victim, which Lane is also charged with.

The three individuals are able to remain free after their indictment but have a state trial in August. Chauvin currently resides in Minnesota’s maximum-security prison and is slated to be officially sentenced on June 25. His lawyers are appealing his conviction based on alleged jury bias.

In order for these federal charges to be brought upon police officers, the prosecutors must prove and believe that the officers in question were willfully depriving the victims of their constitutional rights, which includes being “free from unreasonable seizures or the use of unreasonable force."

The 46-year-old died after Chauvin first restrained Floyd face down on the ground, pinning him with his knee on the back of his neck. Kueng and Lane stepped in and helped keep Floyd pinned by kneeling on his back and legs for nearly 10 minutes.

Thao held back bystanders who were recording the incident, and their videos sparked international outrage over social injustice. They also proved to be critical evidence in the conviction of Chauvin, and will likely play a prominent role in the upcoming cases.

Chauvin’s lawyer, Eric Nelson, hasn’t released any comments about these new charges. During his client’s first trial, he argued that Floyd died due to drug use and underlying health issues.