Trial for ex-Minneapolis officers moved again; now scheduled for October 2022
From left, former officer J Alexander Kueng and former officer Tou Thao.
The state trial for two former Minneapolis police officers who are charged in the death of George Floyd has been moved once again.
Court documents state the trial is now moved up to Oct. 24, 2022, the second time the date has moved.
Monday, court documents showed former officer J. Alexander Kueng asked to reschedule the trial for himself and fellow former officer Tou Thao.
The request was made because Kueng’s attorney told the court and other parties he was unavailable for trial from January through March of 2023 due to a scheduling conflict of a personal nature, according to court documents.
As 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reported earlier this month, Thao and Kueng had been previously scheduled to stand trial in early January, with jury selection set to begin on Jan. 9 and opening statements tentatively scheduled for Jan. 30. Originally, Thao’s and Kueng’s state trial was scheduled to begin earlier this month.
They’re each charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
Last month, Thao and Kueng filed a motion asking Judge Peter Cahill to delay their state trial until they, as well as former officer Thomas Lane, are sentenced for their federal convictions.
As previously reported, Lane has already pleaded guilty in the state case.
Thao, Kueng and Lane were convicted in federal court earlier this year of violating Floyd’s civil rights. However, their sentencing dates haven’t yet been set.