J. Alexander Kueng is one the three ex-officers charged by federal court with violating Floyd’s constitutional rights. Chauvin put his knee in Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 mins as the 46-year old Black man was placed facedown on the streets. Kueng laid on Floyd’s back while Thomas Lane held Thomas Lane’s legs, and Tou Thao remained behind.
Kueng stated that he was worried about Floyd’s inability to stop him from running around after they attempted to arrest him. Chauvin refused to change the restraint when Lane suggested it.
Kueng stated, “He was my superior officer and I trusted him with my advice.”
Floyd is accused of being denied medical care by all three officers. Kueng and Thao were also accused of failing intervene to stop Chauvin’s May 25, 2020, murder that triggered worldwide protests and a reexamination on racism and police work.
Defense lawyers claim that the Minneapolis Police Department did not provide adequate training and taught cadets how to obey their superiors. They also claim that Chauvin was convicted of state murder and manslaughter last year.
Lane and Kueng were both rookies. They were only a few days away from probationary status. Kueng and Tom Plunkett, his attorney, agreed that cadets are taught obedience unquestioned and that probationary officers may be fired at will.
Plunkett asked him if that was something he worried about.
“Every shift, sir,” Kueng said.
Kueng testified that he responded to the 911 call, and how Lane and Kueng handcuffed Floyd while trying to get him into their squad vehicle. He stated that he had worked with strong people during training but not Floyd.
He said, “It felt as if at any moment he would just shove me off.”
Kueng stated that he was feeling “pretty stressed” by the arrival of Chauvin and Thao. He was concerned that Chauvin, who was one of his field training officers had arrived, would make him do something wrong. According to him, it was his experience that he should listen to his superiors.
Kueng said that he checked Floyd’s wrist for a pulse when he was lying facedown on the streets. He also stated that he told Chauvin that he couldn’t find one. He stated that it was up to Chauvin, to check Floyd’s neck and determine the “difficult equilibrium between scene safety and medical attention.”
Thao testified earlier that he knew Floyd’s pleas for help were getting weaker but that he didn’t realize Floyd was in danger despite the increasing vocalizations of bystanders.
Cross-examination by LeeAnn Bell, Thao stated that he didn’t relay any concerns from the onlookers about Floyd’s health to the officers and that he did nothing to check Floyd’s pulse when asked by others. He claimed that he was only relying on three other officers on the scene to take care of Floyd’s medical needs, while he managed the crowdand traffic.
Thao was also asked by the prosecutor what actions were taken to assist Floyd. Thao replied that they were still waiting for paramedics. She also inquired if he had ever told Chauvin not to touch Floyd.
Thao said, “I didn’t,” and added, “I think it would be trustable for a 19-year veteran figure it out.”
Robert Paule, Thao’s lawyer, asked Floyd why officers felt it was important to keep Floyd under control. Thao stated that Floyd was in an “excited state” and required medical attention from paramedics, something “that we weren’t capable of doing.”
Thao also agreed to the prosecutor’s assertion that he knew that he needed a faster paramedic response when he called. Bell asked Thao if he radioed back in order to inform them that he thought Floyd was experiencing excited delirium, or that Floyd wasn’t talking or unconscious. Thao replied no.
Lane will also be testifying.
Lane, who’s white, Kueng, who’s black, and Thao (who is Hmong American) will face separate state trials in June. They are accused of aiding and abiding murder and manslaughter.
Chauvin, a white man, pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights offense in December.
