Four Minneapolis police officers were involved in the May 25, 2020 killing of George Floyd, and all four were convicted of federal crimes. Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes, is serving concurrent state and federal sentences of 22 and a half years and 21 years at a federal prison in Texas, with a projected release in 2038. The three other George Floyd cops — Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane — received federal sentences of 42, 36, and 30 months, took state pleas or a bench trial on manslaughter charges, and have all been released from custody as of November 2025.
Derek Chauvin
State Murder Conviction
Chauvin, the senior officer at the scene, was charged in Minnesota state court with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. A jury found him guilty on all three counts in April 2021.1NBC News. Derek Chauvin Sentenced to 20 Years for Violating George Floyd’s Federal Civil Rights He was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison.2New York Times. Derek Chauvin Sentenced in George Floyd Case
His appeal argued the trial should have been moved out of Minneapolis because of pretrial publicity and that juror misconduct tainted the verdict.3BBC News. Derek Chauvin Files Court Documents to Appeal Murder Conviction The Minnesota Court of Appeals rejected every argument in April 2023, noting that Chauvin had not shown any juror was actually prejudiced, that he had left peremptory strikes unused during jury selection, and that a juror’s attendance at a 2020 March on Washington was not misconduct. Judge Peter Reyes wrote that Chauvin “crossed that line” when “he used unreasonable force on Floyd.”4Courthouse News Service. Appeals Court Upholds Chauvin Conviction for Floyd Killing In November 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the conviction.5ABC7 New York. Supreme Court Rejects Derek Chauvin Appeal
Federal Civil Rights Plea
In December 2021, Chauvin pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of depriving individuals of their constitutional rights. The first count involved Floyd. The second involved a 2017 incident in which Chauvin struck a 14-year-old boy, John Pope, in the head with a flashlight, choked him unconscious, and then knelt on his neck for roughly 15 minutes while the handcuffed teenager said he could not breathe.6U.S. Department of Justice. Former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin Pleads Guilty in Federal Court7PBS Frontline. Excessive Force Lawsuits Filed Against Derek Chauvin
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson sentenced Chauvin to 21 years on the federal charges, to be served concurrently with his state sentence in a federal facility.8ABC News. Derek Chauvin Sentenced on Federal Charges His projected release date is 2038.9NPR. Ex-Officer Convicted in George Floyd’s Killing Is Moved to New Prison
Chauvin is now pursuing a longshot effort to overturn his federal guilty plea. He claims his attorney withheld new evidence before he entered the plea, including conclusions from a Kansas pathologist who disputes that Chauvin’s actions caused Floyd’s death.10CBS News Minnesota. Derek Chauvin Files Motion to Vacate Federal Conviction
Prior Force Complaints
Chauvin served on the Minneapolis Police Department for more than 19 years and was the subject of at least 22 complaints or internal investigations, only one of which resulted in discipline. Prosecutors identified six arrests between 2015 and 2019 in which they said Chauvin used excessive force similar to what he used on Floyd.11MPR News. The People Derek Chauvin Choked Before George Floyd
Prison Stabbing and Current Location
On November 24, 2023, at the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, Arizona, Chauvin was stabbed 22 times with an improvised knife by fellow inmate John Turscak, a former gang leader and FBI informant. Chauvin was hospitalized and released several days later. Turscak was charged with attempted murder, with a trial scheduled for February 2025.12Fox 9. Trial Set for Inmate Charged With Stabbing Derek Chauvin 22 Times
After the attack, Chauvin was moved to a federal transfer center in Oklahoma and then, in August 2024, to the low-security Federal Correctional Institution in Big Spring, Texas, where he remains housed.13CBS News Minnesota. Derek Chauvin Transferred to Texas Prison
Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane
Kueng and Lane, both rookies, were the first officers on the scene and helped restrain Floyd. Kueng was positioned near Floyd’s back and Lane held his legs. Thao’s role was to keep bystanders from intervening. Lane twice asked Chauvin whether they should roll Floyd on his side, and Chauvin refused. Kueng checked Floyd’s wrist for a pulse and said he could not find one, but the officers did not change their positions.14PBS NewsHour. What Role Did the 3 Other Cops Play in George Floyd’s Murder
Federal Convictions
The three were tried together in federal court and convicted in February 2022 of violating Floyd’s civil rights. Kueng and Thao were each found guilty on two counts — violating Floyd’s rights and failing to intervene — while Lane was convicted on one count. Lane received 30 months in federal prison, Kueng received 36 months, and Thao received 42 months.15CNN. Tou Thao, Kueng Sentenced in George Floyd Federal Case16Minnesota Attorney General. Former Minneapolis Officers Sentenced in George Floyd Federal Case In January 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review Thao’s federal conviction after he argued prosecutors had failed to prove his actions were willful.17MPR News. Supreme Court Rejects Appeal by Ex-Officer Tou Thao
State Cases
Thomas Lane pleaded guilty in May 2022 to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. Prosecutors dropped a charge of aiding and abetting second-degree murder in exchange. He received three years in state prison, served concurrently with his federal sentence.18ABC News. Thomas Lane, Former Cop Convicted in George Floyd’s Death, Released From Prison
J. Alexander Kueng entered a similar plea in October 2022, pleading guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in exchange for dismissal of the murder charge. He received three and a half years, again concurrent with his federal sentence, plus a lifetime ban on possessing firearms.19CNN. Alexander Kueng Sentenced in George Floyd State Case
Tou Thao rejected a plea bargain and agreed to a court trial before Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill, who decided the case on evidence from the earlier federal and state trials. Cahill found Thao guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in May 2023 and sentenced him to four years and nine months, exceeding the four-year recommendation under Minnesota guidelines. The state sentence ran concurrently with his federal term.20Court TV. Tou Thao Sentenced in George Floyd’s Killing
Where They Are Now
All three have been released. Lane was released in August 2024 and completed his supervised release in August 2025. Kueng was released in January 2025 and remains on supervised release until March 2026; a federal judge denied his request to end supervision early in August 2025, calling it “premature.”21Spokesman-Review. Federal Judge Denies Early Probation Release for Ex-Officer Thao was released from federal custody on November 3, 2025, and is on supervised probation through June 2027.22Star Tribune. Fired Minneapolis Officer Tou Thao to Leave Prison
Civil Settlement With the Floyd Family
The four officers were also defendants in a civil wrongful-death lawsuit filed in June 2020 alongside the City of Minneapolis. The suit alleged the city was negligent in training officers on restraint techniques and in failing to dismiss officers with poor service records.23BBC News. George Floyd: Minneapolis Agrees $27m Settlement With Floyd Family On March 12, 2021, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a $27 million settlement. Family attorney Ben Crump called it the largest pretrial settlement in a wrongful-death case in U.S. history. The settlement included $500,000 designated to enhance the business district in the area where Floyd died.24ABC News. $27 Million Settlement With George Floyd’s Family Approved by Minneapolis