August 8th 2023.
On August 7th, 2023, former Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for his role in the killing of George Floyd. Thao was present during the fatal incident, but instead of intervening, he chose to simply stand by. He described himself as a "human traffic cone" during the scene, claiming he had no intention of harming anyone.
During the sentencing, Thao was given the opportunity to speak and take responsibility for his lack of action. However, he instead denied any responsibility and stated that his conscience was clear. Judge Peter Cahill expressed his disappointment that Thao had not taken the chance to show remorse, and ultimately sentenced him to 57 months in prison, which was beyond the standard sentence of 48 months.
Thao appealed the decision, but it was upheld. He will remain in federal prison for three and a half years for his conviction on a civil rights charge, and then be transferred to a Minnesota state prison to serve out the remainder of the sentence, with credit for time already served. His sentence will run concurrently with the federal one.
The sentencing of Tou Thao comes after the sentencing of Derek Chauvin, the other former police officer involved in the killing. He was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for violating George Floyd's civil rights. The tragedy of George Floyd's death has become a symbol of police brutality, and the sentences of Thao and Chauvin have served to bring a measure of justice to those affected.
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