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MEAWW.COM / NEWS / CRIME & JUSTICE

George Floyd death: Officer Thomas Lane was hired despite long criminal history and many traffic violations

Lane was only on his fourth full-time shift as a police officer the day George Floyd died
PUBLISHED JUN 7, 2020
Thomas Lane (Hennepin County Sheriff)
Thomas Lane (Hennepin County Sheriff)

Former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane, one of the three charged with aiding and abetting George Floyd's murder,  had a string of criminal offenses and traffic violations before he became a cop, according to reports. The 37-year-old was charged on Wednesday, June 3, in association with Floyd's death, which occurred when Lane was only on his fourth full-time shift as a police officer.

The four Minneapolis police officers allegedly involved in Floyd's brutal death were fired on May 26 after a video of the incident went viral on social media. The footage showed Floyd pleading with officers as one of them, Derek Chauvin, knelt on his neck while the 46-year-old told them to let him stand because he could not breathe. The clip showed Floyd pleading with the officer to allow him to breathe and a few minutes later he became unconscious.

Lane, who was also present at the site, along with two other officers, did not intervene. Floyd's death has sparked massive protests and unrest in Minneapolis and across the country. Chauvin was arrested shortly after and charged with second-degree murder.

Memorial site where George Floyd died while in police custody in Minneapolis (Getty Images)

Lane, however, had multiple traffic violations and other convictions before he joined the force, according to Business Insider. He was reportedly convicted of seven charges in total, including obstructing legal process and damaging property. Before becoming a police officer, Lane worked on a variety of jobs in the service industry. His personnel file was released by the Minneapolis Police Department recently. However, many sections of it were redacted.

According to his file, Lane left high school before graduating and had at least ten jobs between 2010 and 2017. The former officer, during this period, persued his GED and a college degree while he worked as a laborer, a telemarketer, a server, a bartender, a security guard, and a sales associate. Lane, in 2017, began a job as a juvenile correctional officer and assistant probation officer.

Lane's attorney, on Thursday, June 4, said that the 37-year-old "previously worked as a juvenile counselor at a few 'juvenile places' in the Twin Cities and once received a community service award from Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo for volunteering with children," the Minneapolis Star Tribute reported. 

However, during these years, Lane's list of convictions was also increasing. When he was 18, Lane was charged with two counts of obstructing legal process, damaging property, unlawful assembly, and disorderly conduct. He was also convicted on two of these charges. The list of his traffic violations includes speeding, obstructing traffic and two parking meter violations. Nearly six years later, in 2007, he had a run-in with the law after throwing a party and being guilty of hosting a nosy gathering at night. 

Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)

Lane, eventually, began his law enforcement career as a police cadet in 2019, and was a rookie in the city police force. When officers responded to claims of Floyd attempting to use a counterfeit $20 bill on Memorial Day, Lane was on his fourth full-time shift.

Lane and the two other officers, J Alexander Kueng, 26, and Tou Thao, 34, were also arrested and charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder — unintentional — while committing a felony and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter, culpable negligence creating unreasonable risk. The 37-year-old officer now faces  40 years in jail and is being held on an unconditional bail of $1million or $750,000 with conditions.

During Lane's first court appearance on Thursday, June 4, his attorney argued that on the day of Floyd's death, his client could do little to persuade his senior officer Chauvin, a 20-year- veteran. The attorney also pointed out that Lane at the time had asked Chevin whether they should roll Floyd to his side as he was complaining of not being able to breathe.

"What was he supposed to do? Tell Chauvin to get off?," said Lane's attorney, Earl Grey, said pointing out that Lane was the only officer who got into the ambulance with Floyd and attempted to resuscitate him with CPR.

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