A former Minneapolis police officer who was charged in the death of George Floyd was released from jail on Wednesday after posting bond.
Thomas Lane, whose bail was set at $1 million, was one of four officers who responded to the call about Floyd, who allegedly used a counterfeit $20 bill at a local grocery store.
Lane, along with Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Derek Chauvin, responded to the call that later led to Chauvin restraining Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly nine minutes until he was no longer conscious.
Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. The other three ex-officers were charged with aiding and abetting.
WCCO of Minnesota reports that Lane’s lawyer, Earl Gray, said the case against Lane is “weak” and said the former officer had asked Chauvin if Floyd should be rolled on his side and attempted to give Floyd CPR in an ambulance.
“[Lane was] pounding on this guy trying to revive him,” Gray said. “Where is the willful intent?”
Lane, 37, joined the police department as a cadet in February 2019 and did not have a history of complaints. At the time of Floyd’s death, Lane had been on the police force for four days.
