Three of the four officers charged in George Floyd's death are now out on bond
Source: CBS News
BY JASON SILVERSTEIN
JULY 5, 2020 / 7:33 PM / CBS NEWS
One of the former Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd was released from jail on July 4 after posting $750,000 bond. He is now the third of the four officers involved in Floyd's death who has been set free while awaiting trial.
Tou Thao, 34, posted bond late on Saturday morning, according to Hennepin County jail records. Two of the other former officers, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, were released last month on $750,000 bond.
All three officers face counts for aiding and abetting second-degree unintentional murder, as well as aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
The only officer who remains behind bars is Derek Chauvin, who was caught on camera kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly eight minutes during an arrest on May 25th, causing Floyd to lose consciousness and later die. Chauvin is charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. He is being held on $1 million bond.
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/three-of-the-four-officers-charged-in-george-floyds-death-are-now-out-on-bond/
totodeinhere
(13,059 posts)Some right wing groups are rasing money for their bail and their legal expanses.
catrose
(5,076 posts)Maybe he didn't target Floyd in particular? He would have been happy to murder any BIPOC by kneeling on their neck?
Scruffy1
(3,257 posts)I knew him before he was a Congrssman. He knows the law. I consider him smarter than a tree full of owls. I think it will play out well with the lesser offenders cooperating and will get the main man.
forgotmylogin
(7,539 posts)It makes sense. It's very likely Chauvin didn't specifically set out that morning to murder Floyd (premeditation), but Floyd died due to circumstances Chauvin had control of and could have altered to prevent his death.
Floyd specifically said he could not breathe and Chauvin continued the activity that prevented Floyd from breathing. Intentional, but not premeditated.
Scruffy1
(3,257 posts)On philosophical grounds I think its an over reach to hold somebody before they are convicted of a crime. On practical grounds
I think the argument is even stronger because really there are few places to run and hide and judges take failure to appear seriously'. You probably can't get on an airplane and leaving the country would be really hard. I remember picking up a hitchhiker late at night in northern Wisconsin late at night many years ago. He was Native american and had to go to Minneapolis to report for prison for selling fish. The truth is nearly all show up for court and sentence. The last i checked about 98% of federal arrest warrants were served over the phone. They got ya and there is no where to hide. Many judges feel like I do. The bail system favors the rich.
Sgent
(5,857 posts)I think Chauvin *maybe* probably deserves to be held w/o bail instead of with a bond. If he could safely be held in home confinement I would be ok with that too.
Although murder cases and a few others might be different, the vast majority of bond / bail situations shouldn't exist -- either they are safe enough to return on the own recognizance or will not return at all. No amount of money is going to make someone turn themselves in for a potential life sentence or death penalty.