Trial of excops delayed to 2022

MINNEAPOLIS — The trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting in the death of George Floyd will be pushed back to March 2022, in part to allow the publicity over Derek Chauvin’s conviction to cool off, a judge ruled.

Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao were to face trial Aug. 23 on charges they aided and abetted both murder and manslaughter. Their codefendant, Chauvin, was convicted in April of murder and manslaughter. 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. Arraignment in the federal case has been set for July 14, and Cahill said it carries higher potential penalties. He also said he felt the need to put some distance between the three officers’ trial and Chauvin’s due to the highprofile nature of the case.

The order for the delay came during a hearing Thursday on pretrial motions. The former officers were not in court, but their defense attorneys all agreed to the postponement. The state, via Assistant Attorney General Matthew Frank, did not support the delay.

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 seconddegree unintentional murder, thirddegree murder and manslaughter. He’s to be sentenced June 25, with legal experts saying he faces up to 30 years in prison, though he could get less.