The former Minneapolis police officers who were involved in the death of George Floyd appeared back in court Monday (June 29).
According to CNN, Derek Chauvin, who is charged with second-degree murder, appeared via video. The other three former officers — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane — appeared in person. They are facing charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Judge Peter Cahill made it clear that he did not want the attorneys or officials to comment on the merit of the case or any possible evidence. He did not issue an official gag order.
The outlet reports that Chauvin’s bail was set at $1.25 million or $1 million under certain conditions. The bails for Kueng, Thao and Lane were set at $1 million each or $750,000 under certain conditions. Thao and Chauvin remain in custody and Lane and Kueng have been released on conditional bonds. Their trial is set to begin March 8, 2021. It’s still unknown if all four men will be tried together.
On Memorial Day, Floyd was killed while in police custody. Chauvin had his knee planted onto Floyd’s neck for almost nine minutes as they restrained him. Kueng and Lane helped to pin down the victim’s legs and arms while Thao stoodby. Floyd yelled out multiple times that he couldn’t breathe, but his calls went unanswered. He became unconscious and later died.
Since his death, protests have erupted across the country. The Minneapolis City Council has unanimously voted to disband the police department. The city council advanced a proposal to change the city charter to replace the police department with a new “Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention.”
“We have committed to a community engagement process which is only just beginning,” council member Steve Fletcher said. “This vote, if it’s on the ballot in November, as I hope it is, gives the voters a chance to check-in in the middle of that engagement process to tell us we are on the right track. I believe that’s the right thing for us to do, put it to the voters of Minneapolis to make this change.”