Federal trial of former Minneapolis officers in recess until Monday due to positive COVID case
Tuesday marks the seventh day of the federal civil rights trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death: J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao.
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Follow updates below.
9:30 a.m.
Trial was abruptly recessed on Wednesday after one of the defendants tested positive for COVID-19.
Judge Paul Magnuson says the court is in recess until 9:30 a.m. Monday.
The officer who tested positive wasn’t named by the court.
A subsequent news release stated the officer will be retested prior to the trial resuming and that all others determined to have been within close proximity (within 6 feet for at least 15 minutes) to the officer will also be tested before the trial resumes.
The trial of the 3-Ex MPD Officers charged with violating #GeorgeFloyd‘s Civil Rights is on pause due to a positive Covid test involving one of the defendants. A Covid test was conducted at the Federal Courthouse this morning and it came back positive, according to staff. @KSTP
— Eric Chaloux (@EricChalouxKSTP) February 2, 2022
Breaking: One of officers tested positive for COVID court recess til Monday @KSTP
— Eric Chaloux (@EricChalouxKSTP) February 2, 2022
Update: 2 of the pool reporters (the are media allowed into court to provide info to rest of press) say they saw Ex-Officers Kueng and Thao in the courtroom, but DIDN’T SEE Lane. Court is in recess until Monday AM due to one of the defendant’s testing positive @KSTP
— Eric Chaloux (@EricChalouxKSTP) February 2, 2022
Lane’s attorney is here, Earl Gray, but pool reporters DIDN”T see Lane in the courtroom. Again, court in recess due to a defendant testing positive for COVID, Kueng and Thao were seen by press pool in court. @KSTP
— Eric Chaloux (@EricChalouxKSTP) February 2, 2022
We’re waiting to hear back from court staff if defendants, lawyer, judge and jury are tested each day for Covid.
— Eric Chaloux (@EricChalouxKSTP) February 2, 2022
An out-of-state medical doctor is expected to take the stand Wednesday as testimony continues in the federal trial of three former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights.
Prosecutors say Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao deprived Floyd of his rights when they failed to give him medical aid as Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck.
Kueng and Thao are also accused of failing to intervene.
Prosecutors said they plan to call a doctor to the stand Wednesday, though they did not publicly share the physician’s name.
Defense attorneys are trying to make the case that the officers’ training was inadequate and that the police department has a culture that teaches new officers to not question their superiors.
They have said that Chauvin, the most senior officer on the scene, took charge the day Floyd was killed.
Court is set to reconvene at 9:30 a.m. Thursday.
KSTP’s complete George Floyd coverage
This is a developing story. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS will continue to update it throughout the day as the trial proceeds.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.