Judge Denies Motions To Admit Prior George Floyd Arrest As Evidence

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A judge has shot down the motion on behalf of the four officers facing charges in the death of George Floyd to include a prior arrest of Floyd as evidence.

Lawyers for the now-fired Minneapolis officers Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane wanted to admit into evidence Floyd’s May 6, 2019 arest and subsequent admission into HCMC.

Floyd, a Black man, died May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck while he was handcuffed face down on the street. Police were investigating whether Floyd used a counterfeit bill at a nearby store. In a video widely seen on social media, Floyd could be heard pleading with officers for air, saying he couldn’t breathe.

Last year, Lane’s attorney wanted the public to see the video. And the prosecution wanted to prevent it from becoming public. Judge Peter Cahill did rule to allow it to be released to the public.

Three body cam videos were released that showed different perspectives. All showed Floyd with police officers. He was a passenger in an unlicensed stop, and he failed to comply with officers initial requests.

Additionally, Cahill ruled Tuesday that the prosecution’s motions to admit a number of other incidents involving the officers charged would be denied as well, with the exception that a few of them would be admitted into evidence in the trial of Chauvin.

Earlier this month, Cahill denied a motion to re-join the trials of all four, and also denied the state’s request to push the start of Chauvin’s trial to summer. Chavin’s trial will still begin March 8.

If Chauvin is found not guilty, some legal observers says it’s possible, and even likely, that the charges could be dropped against the other three former officers.

Floyd’s death sparked protests in Minneapolis and elsewhere and renewed calls for an end to police brutality and racial inequities.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in Floyd’s death. Former officers Thao, Kueng and Lane are each charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Thao, Kueng and Lane are now scheduled to stand trial together beginning Aug. 23.