Thomas Lane, Ex-Officer Charged In George Floyd's Death, Leaves Jail After Posting Bond
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Thomas Lane, one of the four former Minneapolis police officers involved in the death of George Floyd, has been released from Hennepin County Jail Wednesday afternoon after posting bond, according to jail records.
Lane, 37, was one of the officers -- including Derek Chauvin, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng -- that responded to the call about the alleged use of a counterfeit $20 bill on Memorial Day at Cup Foods on East 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in south Minneapolis.
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The officers handcuffed Floyd, 46, then ended up restraining him on the street next to a squad car, where Chauvin knelt on Floyd's neck for almost nine minutes. Chauvin has been charged with second- and third-degree murder, and third-degree manslaughter. The other officers, including Lane, have been charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree unintentional murder and second-degree manslaughter. All four will make their next court appearance on June 29.
Hennepin County Jail's roster notes that Lane was released Wednesday at 4:08 p.m. His bail had been set at $750,000. Earl Gray, Lane's attorney, has stated that the case against the former officer, who was on his fourth day on the job, is "weak." He said Lane asked Chauvin at one point if Floyd should be rolled on his side, and he attempted to give Floyd CPR in an ambulance.
"[Lane was] pounding on this guy trying to revive him. Where is the willful intent?" Gray said.
Floyd's death sent shock waves across the globe, causing a major shift in views on policing, and highlighting historic and systemic racism against Black Americans. Nine Minneapolis city council members -- a veto-proof majority -- announced Sunday that they aim to defund and dismantle the Minneapolis police department and shift the focus to a more compassionate and community-centered approach.
Both Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Medaria Arradondo support reform instead of defunding, with Arradondo announcing earlier Wednesday that the department is pulling out of contract negotiations with the Minneapolis Police Officers Federation, led by Lt. Bob Kroll.
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