Ex-officers who violated George Floyd's civil rights sentenced to 3 and 3 1/2 years in prison

• J. Alexander Kueng, ex-Minneapolis officer, was sentenced to 3 years in prison.
• Tao Thao was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison.

A federal judge has sentenced ex-Minneapolis officers J. Alexander Kueng and Tao Thao on federal civil rights charges in the death of George Floyd.

Judge Paul Magnuson sentenced Keung to 3 years and Thao to 3 1/2 years.

Both former officers were convicted in February of violating Floyd's civil rights the day he was killed — on May 25, 2020.

At the scene, Thao held back a crowd of civilians who were insisting Floyd be given medical help while then-officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for over nine minutes.

"Mr Thao, as you watched my love being suffocated," Floyd's girlfriend, Courtney Ross, said in court. "I will never forget what you said to the crowd of onlookers: This is why you don't do drugs. It hurt me each time I had to hear that callous remark."

Kueng was one of two rookie officers who responded to the scene with Chauvin, who was their training officer, the day he killed Floyd. Kueng was convicted in February of failing to provide medical care at the scene. The other rookie officer, Thomas Lane, was also found guilty of the federal civil rights charge and was sentenced earlier this month to 2 1/2 years in prison.

"I'm disappointed with sentences," Sabrina Montgomery, a relative of Floyd, said in court. "I feel that you, Judge Magnuson, were sympathetic to Lane because he was a rookie. This was their second and third day on job, but not second and third day on earth. Where was their humanity?"

Kueng will surrender to marshals on October 4 and be taken to prison in one of two South Dakota prisons so he can be close to family, according to pool notes from the Minnesota courtroom.

Magnuson said in court that Thao has much more experience than his codefendants and "knew for years" that anyone in his care and custody needed to be protected, but he failed to do so.

Floyd was killed on Memorial Day 2020, when Chauvin held his knee to his neck for more than nine minutes. Twice during that time, Lane asked Chauvin — his training officer — whether they should turn Floyd on his side.

Chauvin, who is now serving 22 1/2 years in prison on a murder charge, did not do so.

Chauvin was also sentenced to 21 years in prison on civil rights charges related to Floyd's killing and the abuse of a 14-year-old.

Kueng and Thao also face state charges of aiding and abetting in Floyd's killing and are set to go to trial in January.

Lane pleaded guilty to the state charge and is awaiting a September sentencing.