Minneapolis Cops Convicted for ‘Failure to Intervene’ in Floyd Killing
Three former Minneapolis police officers have been found guilty of willfully violating George Floyd’s constitutional rights by not providing medical care. The case is believed to be the first time the federal government has charged police officers for failing to intervene against a more senior officer who was using excessive force.
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Three former Minneapolis police officers, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane, have been found guilty of willfully violating George Floyd’s constitutional rights by not providing medical care when he lost a pulse and two of them were found guilty of not intervening to stop fellow officer Derek Chauvin from killing him, a verdict that sends a signal to police departments across America that juries may become more willing to convict officers who stand idly by and watch their compatriots kill someone, reports the New York Times.
This case is believed to be the first time the federal government has charged police officers for failing to intervene against a more senior officer who was using excessive force, a verdict that experts say could significantly change law enforcement culture, compelling agencies to make sure that officers are properly trained and are upholding their duties. Defense lawyers argued that the department failed in training officers to recognize when they have a duty to intervene and promoted a “cops versus the world” mentality, pointing out the hierarchical and paramilitary aspects of police culture that taught recruits to obey superiors and carry out orders without question. Prosecutors countered that if the small crowd of average citizens who watched the killing unfold could see clearly that Floyd was facing a dire medical emergency, then three well-trained police officers surely should have.
