MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane took the witness stand in his own defense Monday in the federal civil rights trial, describing George Floyd as "handcuffed and out of control" early in the arrest that ended in his death.
Lane, the third officer to testify, spoke publicly for the first time about the May 25, 2020, incident that led to Floyd's murder in Minneapolis police custody. Lane held Floyd's legs down as officer J. Alexander Kueng restrained his mid-section and Tou Thao monitored a crowd of bystanders, while ex-officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd's neck to the ground with his knee for more than nine minutes.
Defense lawyer Earl Gray asked whether Floyd stopped resisting after four minutes under restraint. Lane responded yes and said, "I said should we roll him on the side?" But Lane said Chauvin responded, "Nope, we're good like this."
Lane testified that he said he was concerned about excited delirium and Chauvin responded, "That's why we got him on his stomach and that's why the ambulance is coming."
Lane testified that he said OK and "it just seemed reasonable at the time."
Court took a morning break as Gray began walking Lane through the ending moments of the restraint and his suggestions to Chauvin. Chauvin is serving a sentence of more than 22 years for a murder conviction in Floyd's death last year. Chauvin also pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges in Floyd's death in December.
Lane and Kueng were first on the scene that day to a call of a forgery in progress at Cup Foods in South Minneapolis. Lane was on his fourth shift as a full-fledged officer, having only recently completed training.
Lane talked about attempts to get Floyd into the back of the squad vehicle. "We were going to try to lift him and put him back in, but like I say, he was a big guy," Lane said.
He suggested using a hobble to bind Floyd's legs and arms because Floyd was handcuffed and they still couldn't control him.
Lane said he suggested using the hobble because: "That's what we probably should use because we can't control him" and he's "hitting his head on the glass." He said Floyd met "the criteria of he's handcuffed and out of control."
His suggestion of the hobble was rejected by Thao, who said the ambulance was coming and they'd also have to notify a sergeant of the use of force, Lane said.
Lane testified that he had called an ambulance on Code 2, meaning no lights and sirens, because Floyd was bleeding from his mouth after hitting his head.
Had they used the hobble, Floyd likely would have been held in the side recovery position and better able to breathe than the position he was held in for more than nine minutes on his stomach.
At some point during the restraining of Floyd, Lane said they also stepped up the ambulance call to Code 3, meaning: "get here as fast as you can."
On the stand, Lane talked about his life and background. He's married and turns 39 in a couple weeks. He and his wife are expecting their first child soon.
Lane grew up in Arden Hills and attended Mounds View High School. He earned his associate's degree from Century College before transferring to the University of Minnesota and deciding on a career in law enforcement.
He was accepted to the Minneapolis Police Department in February 2019 and completed his training in early December.
Lane said his grandfather was a homicide detective, working the Washington Avenue beat. His great-grandfather also worked for the MPD.
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