SERVING TIME

Thomas Lane Gets 2.5 Years for Violating George Floyd’s Civil Rights

Federal prosecutors had asked for a sentence of at least five years and three months.

A judge sentenced former Minneapolis police officer Thomas Lane on Thursday to two-and-a-half years in jail for violating George Floyd’s civil rights, followed by two years of supervised release. Lane violated Floyd’s rights by neglecting to provide medical care. Federal prosecutors had asked for a sentence of five years and three months to six-and-a-half years. Lane’s lawyers had asked for 27 months, which is much closer to the 30-month sentence he received. Lane, who held down Floyd’s legs during the fatal arrest, had been an officer for just four days at the time of the murder. Last month, he pleaded guilty in state court to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter, and he will serve that sentence concurrently to his federal sentence under a plea deal.