MINNEAPOLIS — Breaking his public silence for the first time since George Floyd's killing, ex-Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao took the witness stand Tuesday morning and testified about his abusive childhood and Minneapolis police training techniques.
Thao was the second witness called as the defense opened its case in his civil rights trial. His former colleagues — J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane –have said they will also testify when their attorneys present their cases after Thao. The three are being tried jointly in federal court; they are accused of violating Floyd's constitutional right to be free from unreasonable seizure by failing to provide him aid.
Thao and Kueng are also charged with failing to intervene on Floyd's behalf to stop ex-Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin from kneeling on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes during a May 25, 2020, arrest.
