Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng, Tou Thao
The mugshots of three former Minneapolis cops wearing jailhouse garb were released on Wednesday. The stark images of men sworn to protect and serve, now looking like accused criminals, came hours after the three were arrested and charged with aiding and abetting the alleged second-degree murder of George Floyd.
Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were booked in Hennepin County. They will not join their former police colleague Derek Chauvin behind bars there because Chauvin has been moved to the maximum-security Minnesota Correctional Facility in Oak Park Heights.
Hennepin County jail
All four former officers’ actions in the George Floyd’s last moments two Mondays ago were caught on camera but from different angles.
On Wednesday afternoon, the charges against Chauvin were upgraded from third-degree murder to second-degree murder. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison made the announcement at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
“That on or about May 25, 2020, in Hennepin County, Minnesota, Derek Michael Chauvin, caused the death of a human being, George Floyd, without intent to effect the death of any person, while committing or attempting to commit a felony offense other than criminal sexual conduct in the first or second degree with force or violence or a drive-by shooting, namely assault in the third degree,” the charge description said. That’s punishable upon conviction by up to 40 years behind bars, which is greater than the previous maximum by 15 years.
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The other officers are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, meaning the same maximum 40-year punishment is a possibility on paper.
The other two counts against Chauvin are: third-degree murder for perpetrating an eminently dangerous act and evincing a depraved mind; second-degree manslaughter with culpable negligence creating unreasonable risk.
Thao, Kueng and Lane were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
[Images via Hennepin County Jail]