Ex-Cop Thomas Lane Sentenced To 3 Years In George Floyd's Death

MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane was sentenced in state court to three years in prison for his role in the death of George Floyd.

The sentence comes after Lane pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in May. Under Lane's plea deal, a count of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder against him was dismissed.

All four former Minneapolis police officers were who involved in the killing of Floyd on Memorial Day 2020 have been sentenced to federal prison.

Lane is already serving a federal prison sentence of 2 1/2 years for violating Floyd's civil rights. His state and federal sentence will be served concurrently in federal prison.

Lane attended Wednesday's state sentencing hearing over video from Federal Correctional Institution Englewood, a low-security prison camp in Colorado.

Convictions timeline

Former officer Derek Chauvin was convicted in state court of murder in Floyd's death by a jury in April 2021. He was sentenced to 22.5 years.

Later that year, Chauvin pleaded guilty to the federal civil rights charges against him, and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Chauvin is serving both of his prison sentences in federal court, and they will run concurrently.

In February, former offices Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, and Tou Thao were all convicted in federal court of violating Floyd's civil rights. Kueng was sentenced to three years in federal prison, while Thao was sentenced to serve 3 and 1/2 years of prison time.

As of Wednesday, Thao and Kueng still face charges in state court of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's death.

The state trial — set up to be final criminal trial over Floyd's death — is scheduled for January in Minneapolis.

The death of George Floyd

Just after 8 p.m. on Memorial Day 2020, police responded to the Cup Foods store on 38th Street and Chicago Avenue South in Minneapolis for a report of a "forgery in progress."

Outside the store, police told Floyd he was under arrest.

In a video seen around the world, Floyd is heard telling officers, "I can't breathe," while he is forced down onto the street. He also asks for water.

Bystanders yelled at Chauvin to get off of Floyd, while officers Kueng and Lane assisted Chauvin. Meanwhile, Thao ordered people, including an off-duty EMS worker, to back away from the scene.

Chauvin kept his knee on Floyd's neck even after he went motionless. His knee was on Floyd for a total of 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

All four officers who were at the scene were fired the next day and later criminally charged.

Floyd's death sparked street violence and protests for police reform in Minneapolis and across the United States and the world.

Also read: Here's How The Police Initially Described George Floyd's Death

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.