The state trial for the three former Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd could possibly be postponed from its March date.
On Wednesday (Jan. 12), Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill issued an order granting a request by the defense and prosecution to move the trial date from March 7, according to the Star Tribune. The judge instructed the attorneys to meet before Jan. 15 to appoint a new trial date between March 14, 2022 and Jan. 9, 2023. Cahill said that the trial date will remain on March 7 if the two parties can’t come to an agreement.
As REVOLT previously reported, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter for their involvement in Floyd’s death. The three men were originally supposed to stand trial last year, but the case was delayed after Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck, was convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter for his involvement in Floyd’s death.
Lane, Thao and Kueng are also facing federal charges for the killing. They were charged with failing to render aid to the 46-year-old, whose pleas to breathe were ignored. Kueng and Thao were charged with violating Floyd’s right to be free from reasonable seizure and for not intervening or stopping Chauvin when he knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes.
Fencing has been erected around the St. Paul courthouse as the city prepares for the three former cops’ federal trial to begin on Jan. 20. The St. Paul Police Department said they are dedicated to doing everything possible to assure the proceedings are safe for all involved, saying, “our focus is on protecting people, property, and free speech.” Lane, Thao and Kueng have pleaded not guilty to the charges.