On Wednesday (Aug. 12), the state of Minnesota filed a motion to join the cases of all four former officers who were involved in the death of George Floyd into one trial.
Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Derek Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
According to Fox 9, prosecutors argued that the defendants should stand one trial because the charges and evidence for all cases are similar. They also believe that the eyewitnesses and family members will be traumatized by having to take the stand for four different trials. Prosecutors say separate trials will cause delay and burden. The next hearing for this case is scheduled to take place on Sep. 11.
Last month, the attorneys for Thao — who was caught on camera keeping onlookers back as Chauvin had his knee on Floyd’s neck — filed to have his charges dismissed.
Thao’s attorney Robert M. Paule argued that the prosecutors failed to show that his client “knew former officer Derek Chauvin and others were going to commit a crime and intended his presence or actions to further the commission of that crime.”
Former Minneapolis officer Lane also filed to have the charges against him dismissed. Attorney Earl Gray said the case against his client should be dismissed based on lack of probable cause, reports USA Today.
Gray also filed transcripts from bodycam footage taken by his client’s camera and the camera of his partner, Kueng. Additionally, he filed a transcript of Lane’s interview with state investigators. Gray says that his client asked twice if the officers should turn Floyd over on his side and former officer Chauvin said no.
Thao, Lane and Kueng are currently out on bond. Chauvin is still incarcerated and was recently hit with tax evasion charges.