Former Minneapolis Police Officer Tou Thao’s lawyers revealed new bodycam footage from his perspective so his charges can be dropped from the case.
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According to the New York Post, the bodycam footage was released on Thursday as an attempt to prove Thao’s innocence although he stood back as his colleague Derek Chauvin kneeled on George Floyd’s for eight minutes. As angry bystanders are questioning Thao’s motives and plead for him to help George Floyd, Thao says in response “That’s why you don’t do drugs kids.” Afterward, he continues to antagonize the crowd while becoming more aggressive.
One of the witnesses, a woman who works as a firefighter, asks Thao to check his pulse: “Show me his pulse! Check it right f—ing now! Tell me what his pulse is!”
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Thao’s lawyer, Robert Paule, claims his criminal charges need to be dropped because he was dealing with the crowd and didn’t notice Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck. He along with J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.
Their lawyers have asked a judge to join all four trials for the former officers.