Ex-Cop Sentenced for Aiding and Abetting in George Floyd’s Murder
The RootSep 21, 2022
On Wednesday, former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane was sentenced to three years as part of a plea deal for his involvement in the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Lane, who is already serving a 2.5-year federal sentence on charges of violating Floyd's civil rights, pleaded guilty in June to aiding and abetting the second-degree manslaughter of Floyd.
Despite playing an active role in Floyd's death, Lane is getting away largely unscathed: this sentencing is nothing more than a slap on the wrist and is a step back in the fight against the police violence that has fueled racial unrest.
While Lane certainly played a role on that tragic day, he's not the monster some accuse him of being. He was a rookie who tried to take charge in a crisis but was dismissed by his superior, Chauvin. Now he's paying the price for someone else's actions.