Court approves 3rd-degree murder charges against 3-ex cops in Floyd death

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Court of Appeals says prosecutors may file aiding and abetting third-degree murder charges against three former Minneapolis police officers in the death of George Floyd.

The appeals court sent the case back to Hennepin County District Judge Peter Cahill. He denied prosecutors’ motion to add the charges against former officers J Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao back in February during the runup to the separate trial of former Officer Derek Chauvin.

Cahill sentenced Chauvin on Friday to 22 1/2 years in prison for second-degree murder.

The proper interpretation of Minnesota’s third-degree murder statute remains in dispute.