Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng to appeal federal civil rights sentences
MINNEAPOLIS -- Former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng will appeal their federal sentences for violating George Floyd's civil rights.
Their lawyers filed their intent to appeal on Wednesday.
In July, Thao was sentenced to 3.5 years and Kueng to 3 years, after a jury found them guilty of two counts of violating Floyd's civil rights in the 2020 slaying. The jury found they deprived the 46-year-old Black man of medical care and failed to stop Derek Chauvin as he knelt on Floyd's neck for 9 1/2 minutes while Floyd gasped for air.
Kueng held Floyd's back, former officer Thomas Lane held his feet and Thao kept back bystanders, some of whom recorded video that led to worldwide protests.
Chauvin pleaded guilty in the civil rights case, and is serving a 21-year prison sentence. Lane was convicted of one count and sentenced to 2 1/2 years.
Thao and Kueng await a state trial that is slated to begin on Oct. 24.