MINNEAPOLIS — Former Minneapolis police officers J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao plan to appeal their federal prison sentences for violating George Floyd's civil rights during his 2020 killing.
On Wednesday, attorneys for the two ex-officers filed their intent to appeal the sentences handed down last month by Senior U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson.
Magnuson sentenced the two on the same day last month, bringing to a close the federal civil rights criminal case against the four former officers involved in Floyd's death. Kueng received three years in prison and Thao was sentenced to 3½ years.
Kueng and Thao — alongside Thomas Lane — were each convicted in February after a 21-day jury trial. Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd's neck for more than 9 minutes during the encounter, pleaded guilty and received a 20-year prison term. Magnuson meanwhile sentenced Lane to 2½ years last month.
Kueng and Thao are still awaiting an Oct. 24 trial in Hennepin County on state charges of aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.
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