One of the four fired Minneapolis police officers charged in George Floyd’s death was released from jail on Wednesday after posting $750,000 bond.
Thomas Lane, 37, walked out of Hennepin County Jail around 4:08 p.m., jail records show. His next court appearance is June 29.
Lane and two other former cops, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng, were taken into custody last week and charged with aiding and abetting in the death of Floyd during his May 25 arrest for allegedly passing a counterfeit $20 bill at a grocery store.
Thao, 34, and Kueng, 26, were still being held Wednesday on unconditional bail of $1 million apiece or $750,000 each with conditions.
Derek Chauvin — the now ex-cop who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes during the arrest — is charged with second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Under Minnesota law, aiding and abetting second-degree murder is tantamount to a second-degree murder charge, so Lane, Thao and Kueng face the same potential sentence as Chauvin — a maximum of 40 years in prison — if convicted.
