Ex-cops found guilty of violating civil rights of George Floyd

Police spoke of "hunting" demonstrators in protest 1:47

(CNN) --

Former Minneapolis police officers Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were found guilty of violating George Floyd's civil rights by a federal jury in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Thursday.

The 12-member jury, who deliberated for approximately 13 hours over two days, found Lane, Kueng and Thao guilty of depriving Floyd of his civil rights by showing willful disregard for his medical needs when former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd for over 9 minutes on May 25, 2020, which ultimately killed him.

Jurors also found Thao and Kueng guilty on an additional charge of failing to intervene to detain Chauvin.

According to the Department of Justice, “the crime is punishable by a range of prison sentences up to life in prison or the death penalty, depending on the circumstances of the crime and the resulting injuries, if any.”

Federal sentencing guidelines suggest officers would receive a lesser sentence.

Former police officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were trying to arrest Floyd for allegedly trying to use a counterfeit $20 bill. They later helped Chauvin pin Floyd to the ground.

Tou Thao held back a group of bystanders who were yelling at police officers to get off Floyd.

Derek Chauvin sentenced to more than 22 years in prison 3:49

The three policemen took the stand in his defense during the trial.

Thao testified that he assumed the other officers were "taking care" of Floyd while he was helping control the crowd and told the jury that the academy teaches a police officer to use the knee to restrain a suspect.

Kueng told the jury that he trusted Chauvin during the incident as the superior officer on the scene and later told the jury that he did not know that George Floyd had stopped breathing while he was restrained.

Lane testified that he asked Chauvin twice if George Floyd should be repositioned during the lockdown.

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In December, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pleaded guilty in federal court to civil rights charges related to the killing of George Floyd.

As part of the plea deal, Chauvin faces a sentence of between 20 and 25 years in prison.

Lane, Kueng and Thao also face state trial later this year on charges of aiding and abetting Floyd's murder.

They have pleaded not guilty.

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