According to a plea agreement announced by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Thomas Lane will serve two years of a three-year sentence.
Thomas Lane, one of three former Minneapolis Police officers who watched on as Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd in 2020, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.
According to the plea agreement announced by Keith Ellison, Lane will serve two years of a three-year sentence.
“His acknowledgment that he did something wrong is an important step toward healing the wounds of the Floyd family, our community, and the nation.” Keith Ellison said. “While accountability is not justice, this is a significant moment in this case and a necessary resolution on our continued journey to justice.”
Read more: Judge Accepts Derek Chauvin’s Plea Deal on The Murder Of George Floyd, Sets Sentence For 20-25 Years
A federal jury convicted Thomas Lane and fellow former officers Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng of violating Floyd’s civil rights earlier this year. For their actions, the trio faced state charges of aiding and abetting murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter.
Prosecutors and video of the fatal incident revealed that Thomas Lane held Floyd’s legs while Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, while Kueng also restrained Floyd.
Lane’s sentencing has been scheduled for September 21.
“My client did not want to risk losing the murder case, so he decided to plead guilty to manslaughter with a 3-year sentence, be released in 2 years, and the murder case dismissed,” Thomas Lane’s attorney Earl Gray told reporters.
“The sentence will be concurrent with his federal sentence, and he will serve his time in a federal institution. He has a newborn baby and did not want to risk not being part of the child’s life.”