One of two former Minneapolis police officers accused of aiding and abetting the killing of George Floyd pleaded guilty Monday, and the other officer agreed to waive his right to a jury trial that was scheduled to begin this week .
The decision by fired Officer J. Alexander Kueng came as jury selection was about to begin in Hennepin County District Court. After Kueng’s plea deal was announced, co-defendant Tou Thao told District Judge Peter Cahill he would proceed with a trial on stipulated facts rather than a jury.
Attorney Robert Paule said that means Cahill will review all the evidence in Thao’s case, which is due Nov. 17, and issue a verdict in mid-February.
The decisions avert a joint trial that was expected to last until mid-December and involve dozens of witnesses recounting the May 25, 2020, killing of Floyd by former police officer Derek Chauvin in South Minneapolis.
Kueng admitted to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter, specifically being culpably negligent and creating an unreasonable risk. His attorney, Thomas Plunkett, said the plea deal included the dismissal of a second count of second-degree manslaughter.
Paule said Cahill will enter a verdict only on the manslaughter count against Thao. If Cahill finds Thao guilty, the sentence could range from three to five years, Paule said. In the meantime, Thao will remain in segregated custody at the Hennepin County Jail, Cahill said.
Plunkett said Kueng’s 3 1⁄2-year state sentence will be served concurrently with the 3-year federal sentence he is serving at the federal prison in Elkton, Ohio.
Chauvin was convicted last year of second-degree murder and manslaughter for pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than 9 minutes outside Cup Foods as Floyd pleaded for his life. Chauvin later pleaded guilty to federal charges of violating Floyd’s civil rights and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Kueng, Thao and their partner Thomas Lane were found guilty of federal charges in a jury trial and are serving federal sentences ranging from 2 1⁄2 to 3 1⁄2 years. Kueng and Lane helped Chauvin keep a handcuffed Floyd on the ground while Thao held back agitated onlookers concerned for Floyd’s welfare.
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