Final 2 officers convicted in george floyd's death sentenced to 3 years in prison

The last two officers involved in the death of George Floyd have received prison sentences for "depriving [Floyd] of his Constitutional rights." In a Wednesday release, the United

States Department of Justice revealed that the two former Minneapolis Police Department officers — Tou Thao, 36, and J. Alexander Kueng, 28 — have been ordered to serve 42 months and 36

months in prison, respectively. Along with fellow ex-officer Thomas Lane, Thao and Kueng were convicted in February, after facing federal charges of violating Floyd's constitutional

rights by showing deliberate indifference to his medical needs and failing to provide aid as Derek Chauvin, the senior officer on the scene, fatally pressed his knee into Floyd's neck

for more than nine minutes. They all testified on their own behalf to say they were trusting Chauvin's lead, while Kueng and Thao each faced an additional charge of failing to intervene

as Chauvin harmed Floyd, on which they were also found guilty. Kueng and Thao's sentencing comes about a week after PEOPLE confirmed that Lane, 39, was sentenced to 2.5 years in

federal prison. Chauvin, 46, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison earlier this month. _NEVER MISS A STORY — SIGN UP FOR PEOPLE'S FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE

BEST OF WHAT PEOPLE HAS TO OFFER, FROM JUICY CELEBRITY NEWS TO COMPELLING HUMAN-INTEREST STORIES._ In the Wednesday release, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice

Department's Civil Rights Division said, "All four officers involved in the tragic death of George Floyd have now been convicted in federal court, sentenced to prison and held

accountable for their crimes." "George Floyd's death could have been prevented if these defendants had carried out their affirmative duty to intervene to stop another

officer's use of deadly force," she added. "While these defendants have now been held accountable, law enforcement officers and leaders must take seriously the affirmative

duty under the Constitution to intervene to stop misconduct by fellow officers and the duty to render medical aid." "The federal prosecution of all officers tied to the death of

George Floyd should send a clear and powerful message that the Department of Justice will never tolerate the unlawful abuse of power or victimization of Americans by anyone in law

enforcement," she concluded. District of Minnesota U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger said Thao and Kueng "failed to take any action" when it came to helping prevent "the

agonizing death of Mr. Floyd," adding, "These sentences reaffirm that every law enforcement officer, whether rookie or senior, has an affirmative duty to protect individuals in

their custody." RELATED VIDEO: DEREK CHAUVIN SENTENCED TO 22.5 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD Floyd, 46, was killed on May 25, 2020, while being detained by the officers for

allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at a corner Minneapolis market. Chauvin pleaded guilty in December 2021 to related federal charges of violating Floyd's civil rights, months

after his conviction in state court for killing Floyd resulted in a sentence of 22 and a half years in prison. The latter's conviction followed a prosecution that replayed over and over

what millions around the world saw, propelling them into the streets in protest: bystander video of Chauvin, his hands in his pockets and his sunglasses perched atop his head, with Floyd

underneath him and crying out for his dead mother as he repeatedly gasped, "I can't breathe." Prosecutors said that as Chauvin maintained that position, Lane held Floyd's

feet, Kueng knelt on Floyd's back and Thao held back bystanders who objected as the scene unfolded. _TO HELP COMBAT SYSTEMIC RACISM, CONSIDER LEARNING FROM OR DONATING TO THESE

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