Officer who held back crowd during George Floyd's murder sentenced to over 4 years in prison

Tou Thao, the former Minneapolis police officer who held back a crowd of bystanders during George Floyd's fatal arrest in May 2020, was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison Monday for aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

Thao gave a short comment on his role in Floyd's death in a statement prior to his sentencing in a Minnesota courthouse.

"Obviously, on that day, we didn't intend on - I didn't intend on doing any malice or anything like that, or try to hurt anyone. That was never my intent. I did the best I thought I could," he said. "Obviously the outcome didn't come out the way I wanted it, so I'll leave it at that."

He then spoke for about 20 minutes about how he rediscovered Christianity after Floyd's death and delivered a religious sermon to the court.

Hennepin County Judge Peter A. Cahill was unimpressed.

"Mr. Thao, to be perfectly honest, after three years of reflection, I was hoping for a little more remorse, regret, acknowledgement of some responsibility and less preaching," he said.

"Suffice it to say that I think your culpability is less than Mr. Chauvin, but well above Mr. Kueng and Mr. Lane, as an experienced senior officer who was in the best position to save George Floyd. Accordingly, it's my belief that a sentence at the top of the (sentencing) range would be condign punishment."