Former Minneapolis police officer who helped restrain George Floyd sentenced to 3 ½ years in prison - CNN

CNN  — 

A erstwhile Minneapolis constabulary serviceman who assisted successful the fatal restraint of George Floyd was sentenced to 3 ½ years successful situation Friday for his relation successful the killing.

J. Alexander Kueng pleaded blameworthy to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter connected the time his authorities proceedings was to statesman past October, agreeing to the plea successful speech for the authorities dropping a number of aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional execution successful the May 25, 2020, decease that triggered planetary protests against constabulary brutality.

Kueng appeared remotely from the US Bureau of Prisons Elkton installation successful Lisbon, Ohio, wherever he’s serving a three-year national condemnation for violating Floyd’s civilian rights. He did not code the court.

“Nothing your honor, convey you,” helium said erstwhile asked if helium had immoderate remarks.

There was nary ceremonial unfortunate interaction statement.

“The sentencing of Alexander Kueng for his relation successful the execution of George Floyd delivers yet different portion of justness for the Floyd family,” attorneys Ben Crump, Antonio Romanucci and Jeff Storms, who correspond Floyd’s family, said successful a statement.

“While the household faces yet different vacation play without George, we anticipation that moments similar these proceed to bring them a measurement of peace, knowing that George’s decease was not successful vain.”

Harrowing video taken by a bystander showed Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, desperately pleading for the officers restraining him to fto him respire earlier helium mislaid consciousness and died.

Kueng was among 4 officers who were fired and criminally charged aft Floyd’s death. The metropolis of Minneapolis agreed past twelvemonth to pay Floyd’s property $27 million to settee a suit with his family.

“I truly can’t travel adjacent to comprehending what the household and friends of George Floyd person had to spell through,” authoritative Matthew Frank told the tribunal earlier sentencing.

“It’s not conscionable watching a video of your loved 1 dying and seeing it connected TV implicit and implicit again. Throughout these 2 and a fractional years, passim each the tribunal proceedings, we deliberation of them often and we privation them the champion successful healing and moving forward.”

Frank said Floyd was a “crime victim” and Kueng “was not simply a bystander successful what happened that day.”

“Mr. Kueng was an progressive portion of this,” helium added.

Defense lawyer Thomas Plunkett said constabulary leaders “failed” some Floyd and Kueng by not adequately grooming officers.

Kueng received recognition for 84 days clip served. He volition beryllium prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition for the remainder of his life, Judge Peter Cahill ruled.

His sentencing Friday was delayed respective hours due to the fact that of method issues with the web conference.

Kueng, who helped restrain Floyd arsenic Officer Derek Chauvin knelt connected Floyd’s cervix for much than 9 minutes, and different officer, Tou Thao, who fended disconnected aggravated witnesses pleading for constabulary to get disconnected Floyd, were some convicted of national charges successful the killing. They were recovered blameworthy connected charges of violating Floyd’s civilian rights and of failing to intervene to halt Chauvin during the restraint.

Kueng was sentenced to 3 years and Thao was sentenced to 3 ½ years. Keung volition service his authorities condemnation concurrently with his national sentence.

The 2 erstwhile cops began serving those sentences successful October, according to the national Bureau of Prisons.

Chauvin was recovered blameworthy of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree execution and second-degree manslaughter successful authorities tribunal and was sentenced to 22.5 years successful situation successful June 2021.

In national court, Chauvin pleaded blameworthy to depriving Floyd of his rights and an unrelated civilian rights usurpation was sentenced to 21 years successful prison. He is serving the sentences concurrently.

Thomas Lane, the fourth officer, who held Floyd’s legs during the arrest, pleaded blameworthy to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter successful the summertime and was sentenced to 3 years successful prison successful September. He is serving that concurrently with a two-and-a-half twelvemonth national condemnation successful Colorado.

Kueng initially was to spell connected proceedings successful October with Thao.

Thao, according to his attorney, Robert Paule, agreed to a proceedings by stipulated evidence, meaning helium waived his close to a proceedings by assemblage and the tribunal would determine Thao’s destiny aft reviewing grounds presented by some parties.