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Former Minneapolis Cop Thomas Lane, One Of Four Officers Charged With George Floyd's Death, Leaves Jail

Former Minneapolis Cop Thomas Lane, One Of Four Officers Charged With George Floyd’s Death, Leaves Jail

Thomas Lane, one of the four ex-officers involved in George Floyd's death, has been released from jail.

Thomas Lane, 37, held on $750,000 cash bail, was released from the Hennepin County jail on June 10.

Lane is one of four ex-officers charged with aiding and abetting in connection with the killing of Floyd.

The second ex-cop, J Alexander Kueng, was also released from jail on June 19, with conditions.

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The other two officers, Chauvin and Thao, are still in police custody.

Kueng, Chauvin, Lane, And Thao Are Scheduled Back In Court On June 29

Lane is charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter for his role in Floyd's arrest.

former minneapolis cop thomas lane, one of four officers charged with george floyd's death, leaves jail
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Lane and Kueng held down other parts of Floyd's body, next to Chauvin, authorities said in a probable cause statement.

But Earl Gray, Lane's attorney, has stated that the case against the former officer is "weak."

Gray said Lane asked Chauvin at one point if Floyd should be rolled on his side. Lane even attempted to give Floyd CPR in an ambulance, his attorney added.

He said:

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"[Lane was] pounding on this guy trying to revive him. Where is the willful intent?"

Lane Had Been On The Police Force For Four Days When Floyd Died

And he was "doing everything he thought he was supposed to do as a four-day police officer," his attorney added.

However, Lane had a list of offenses before he was employed in Minneapolis as a cadet. He was still on probation before firing.

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Public records showed that Lane racked up more than a dozen criminal charges and traffic citations.

The Hennepin County medical examiner's office concluded the manner of Floyd's death as a homicide.

The medics added the cause was "cardiopulmonary arrest complicating law enforcement subdual, restraint, and neck compression."

Cardiopulmonary arrest means Floyd's heart failed.

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A different autopsy, conducted by experts hired by Floyd's family, concluded Floyd died of "asphyxiation from sustained pressure."

That autopsy added that when the officer knelt on Floyd's neck, the pressure cut blood flow to his brain.

Meanwhile, investigators charged Derek Chauvin — the arresting ex-cop who knelt on Floyd's neck during the arrest — with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

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Under Minnesota law, aiding and abetting second-degree murder is tantamount to a second-degree murder charge.

Lane, Kueng, and Thao could face the same potential sentence as Chauvin — a maximum of 40 years in prison.