Judge sets $750K bail for each of three officers charged in George Floyd killing

A judge in the Hennepin County District Court set bail on Thursday for the three former Minneapolis police officers who were arrested and charged in the killing of George Floyd.

Their bail was set at $750,000 apiece. 

Former officers Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Kueng and Tou Thao were arrested and charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder in the killing of Floyd, an unarmed black man who died in police custody last Monday. 

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (D) announced the charges against the trio at a Wednesday press conference, saying that they were in the process of being taken into custody.

Thursday was the first time the three former officers all made an appearance in court, according to The Associated Press.

Ellison also increased the murder charge against former officer Derek Chauvin, who was seen in video footage of Floyd’s arrest kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes. His charged was elevated to second-degree murder.

Footage of the scene shows Floyd repeatedly saying that he couldn’t breathe, with Chauvin continuing to kneel on his neck even after Floyd was unconscious.

Chauvin was initially arrested Friday and charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

An initial court date for Chauvin has not yet been set, according to the wire service. 

On Thursday, Floyd’s family, Minnesota lawmakers and black faith leaders gathered at North Central University in Minneapolis for Floyd’s memorial.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, who was present at the memorial service, announced that he and Floyd’s family would lead a march on Washington along with Martin Luther King III to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr.’s march on the nation’s capital in 1968. 

He also noted that what happened to Floyd is what has been happening to black Americans for years.  

“George Floyd’s story has been the story of black folks, because ever since 401 years ago, the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to be was because you kept your knee on our neck,” Sharpton said.