Federal trial for three officers involved in George Floyd’s death delayed

The federal trial for the three other former police officers who were involved in the death of George Floyd has been delayed after one of them tested positive for COVID-19.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson said the court will be in recess until Monday, NBC News reported. J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao, two of the defendants, were in court on Wednesday, while the third defendant, Thomas Lane, was absent.

Rebeccah Parks, a spokesperson for the court, said the defendant who tested positive and the individuals they came in close contact with will be retested before the trial resumes.

The Hill has reached out to Lane’s attorney, Earl Gray, for comment. As NBC noted, Gray said in his opening statement that Lane would testify in his own defense.

The trial for Kueng, Thao and Lane began last week. They are all accused of depriving Floyd of his civil rights when they confronted him on March 25, 2020, for an alleged counterfeit $20 bill.

In her opening statements, prosecutor Samantha Trepel accused the officers of doing nothing as former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin — sentenced to more than 20 years in prison last year for Floyd’s murder — kneeled on Floyd’s neck.

As Chauvin was kneeling on Floyd, Kueng allegedly knelt on his back, Lane held down his legs and Thao held back bystanders.

Kueng’s attorney, Tom Plunkett, has argued that Chauvin called “all the shots” during the fatal encounter.

“You’ll see and hear officer Chauvin call all of the shots,” said Plunkett.