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Prosecutors Accuse 3 Ex-Officers of Failing to Intervene During George Floyd’s Murder

HeadlineJan 26, 2022

In Minnesota, the federal civil rights trial of three former police officers involved in the murder of George Floyd continues. In opening statements Monday, prosecutors argued Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were guilty of ignoring Floyd’s repeated pleas of “I can’t breathe” and failing to provide medical assistance as Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes. Two of the officers also helped Chauvin physically restrain Floyd while one officer prevented passersby from intervening. A defense attorney, meanwhile, argued Chauvin was the one who called “all of the shots.” This is George Floyd’s nephew Brandon Williams speaking Monday.

Brandon Williams: “It was hard watching that video of my uncle begging and pleading for his life. And instead of raising up, turning him over, instead of even one of the officers saying, 'Hey, this guy isn't breathing. Let him up,’ they ignored that fact. They chose to kill him. We need some accountability.”

The three ex-officers also face a separate trial for aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter.

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