Prosecutors at the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd's civil rights are trying to show that even bystanders knew the Black man needed help, while the officers failed to act as former Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck.
civil rights are trying to show that even bystanders knew the Black man needed help, while the officers failed to act as former Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck.
Floyd, 46, died after Chauvin knelt on his neck for 9 1/2 minutes. Kueng knelt on Floyd's back, Lane held his legs and Thao kept bystanders back, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors have argued in pretrial filings that even bystanders could see that Floyd was in serious need of medical attention, and that the officers, who had basic medical training, did not help.
"You could only see or hear things from your perspective, is that correct?" Tom Plunkett, Kueng's attorney, asked.Kueng, who is Black; Lane, who is white; and Thao, who is Hmong American, are charged with depriving Floyd of his constitutional rights: All three are charged for failing to provide Floyd with medical care, while Thao and Kueng face an additional count for failing to stop Chauvin, who is white. Both counts allege the officers' actions resulted in Floyd's death.
Jenna Scurry, a Minneapolis 911 dispatcher, testified that after Lane and Kueng responded she called for backup for them. They then called for an ambulance without lights and sirens, for a mouth injury. More than a minute later, Chauvin and Thao upgraded that call to request the ambulance come with lights and sirens, but Scurry said she was not told that Floyd wasn't breathing, had no pulse and was unresponsive.