One of the 4 officers charged with Floyd’s death reportedly cautioned others in his arrest

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Police Officer Alexander Kueng, one of the four ex-cops who were charged for George Floyd’s death, reportedly warned fellow officer Derek Chauvin not to do the ‘knee-on-neck’ maneuver on Floyd.
• Newbie Kueng, who was worried that Floyd might be in an excited “delirium,” told his lawyer that he had no choice but to follow Chauvin, his training officer.
• All officers now face a sentence of a minimum of 40 years in prison. Kueng, Lane, and Thao were each ordered by a judge with unconditional $1M bail compounded with $750,000 of conditional bail.

During the court hearing, an attorney for Police Officer Alexander Kueng said that his client asked his fellow officer Chauvin twice if they should roll him on his side.

Kueng, Thomas Kiernan Lane, Tou Thao are the other police officers charged with aiding and abetting murder as well as aiding and abetting manslaughter of George Floyd.  The principal accused is Derek Chauvin, who happens to be a training officer.  Kueng was just finishing his third full shift when the incident happened. 

Floyd was found in his car near Cup Foods Grocery Store by Lane and Kueng when they investigated a complaint of a fake $20 bill passed by Floyd. Lane then pulled his gun, had Floyd get out of his car and handcuffed him, according to a complaint.  He was eventually made to lay on the pavement, facedown.

In the now-viral video, the officer who placed his knee on Floyd’s neck was Chauvin and Kueng said he asked if they should roll him over to his side because he was worried that Floyd may be in excited “delirium.” Chauvin replied “That’s why we have him on his stomach.”

In another video caught by a bystander, a cuffed Floyd is heard begging “Please, please, please, I can’t breathe. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Please, please. I can’t breathe.”

There are now two autopsies that led to the two charges of murder and manslaughter.  The official autopsy from the Hennepin Medical examiner states that the cause of death is a “cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression.” 

This led to a homicide ruling but said that Floyd had “significant” underlying conditions, including hypertensive heart disease, fentanyl intoxication, and recent methamphetamine use.

A separate autopsy funded by Floyd’s family resulted in a different ruling: Pressing on Floyd’s neck and body cut off blood and airflow to his brain leading to mechanical asphyxia.

From an initial charge of third-degree murder and manslaughter, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and his team elevated the case by adding second-degree murder charge as they assert that Chauvin committed a felony assault unintentionally resulting in Floyd’s death.

According to criminal complaints, all four officers now face a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment. The three officers, Kueng, Lane, and Thao, were each ordered by a judge with unconditional $1M bail compounded with $750,000 of conditional bail. No pleas entered.

Source: Aol