Who is Tou Thao, former police officer who got 57-month jail in George Floyd killing case?

A former police officer, Tou Thao, from Minneapolis has been sentenced to 57 months in prison for his involvement in George Floyd's death. Thao was found guilty of aiding and abetting manslaughter in May by a Minnesota judge.

He stated that he acted as a "human traffic cone," holding back bystanders while Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for about 10 minutes. George Floyd's death in May 2020 led to widespread protests across the US.

All four ex-police officers connected to the incident were convicted of federal civil rights charges, along with state murder charges for Chauvin. Ex-officers, Thomas Lane and J Alexander Kueng, admitted guilt for aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in the case.


Thao, who received a three-and-a-half-year sentence for his civil rights conviction, will serve the 57 months concurrently.

He opted for a judge trial in the manslaughter case, waiving his right to a jury trial. He also chose not to testify or question witnesses.

Judge Peter Cahill, in a 177-page decision, stated that Thao's actions, including shielding Chauvin and the other officers from the crowd, prevented a trained medic from aiding Floyd.

"Proof beyond a reasonable doubt" shows that Thao's actions were "objectively unreasonable" from the perspective of a reasonable police officer, considering all circumstances, the judge said.

Judge Cahill additionally noted that Thao's actions were more unreasonable as he was obligated to intervene to stop excessive force by other officers and was trained to provide medical assistance.

FAQs

What was Tou Thao's role in George Floyd's case?
Tou Thao, a former Minneapolis police officer, held back bystanders while Derek Chauvin knelt on George Floyd's neck, resulting in Thao's conviction for aiding manslaughter.

Why did Tou Thao receive a prison sentence?
Tou Thao was sentenced to 57 months (almost five years) in prison for aiding and abetting George Floyd's death by preventing medical aid and not intervening in the excessive use of force.