Thomas Lane has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for his involvement in the death of George Floyd in the American city of Minneapolis. Lane was the 38-year-old cop who held Floyd’s legs when he was suffocated by Officer Derek Chauvin.
Lane exercised his right to remain silent during the hearing. Prosecutors demanded 6.5 years in prison against the officer. However, his lawyers argued that Lane was the least guilty of all four officers involved in Floyd’s death. He would have suggested twice to lay the victim on his side.
Lane, 38, was involved in the death of black George Floyd in May 2020 along with three colleagues, including Chauvin. While Lane held onto the legs, Chauvin pressed his leg on Floyd’s neck. That lasted more than nine minutes, as Floyd yelled that he couldn’t breathe.
Floyd’s death sparked massive protests around the world under the slogan ‘Black Lives Matter’. Chauvin was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison last year for killing Floyd.
Later this year, the other two officers, Tou Thao and Alexander Kueng, will also receive their sentences. Like Lane, they were found guilty of involvement in Floyd’s death.