LEXINGTON, Ky. — One of the Minneapolis police officers convicted in the 2020 murder of George Floyd, which incited protests over police racism nationwide, is being prepared for release Monday from the Lexington federal prison. Tou Thao, age 39, has served 5-1/2 years. He will be on supervised release until June 2027. Thao went to prison for blocking bystanders from assisting Floyd, a black man, as he was being choked to death by another officer. Thao has not announced his plans. He had been on the Minneapolis police force eight years and earlier a security guard and a fast-food shift boss. It’s doubtful he can salvage a police career. After Floyd’s murder it came out that Thao had been cited eight times by his training officer as dishonest and inclined to shortcuts. As an officer there were six police conduct complaints filed against him. Other officers convicted in Floyd’s death:
> Derek Chauvin. Serving 40 years in a federal prison Texas.
> Alexander Kueng. Discharged from a federal prison in Ohio in January.
> Thomas Lane. Discharged from a federal prison in Colorado in August 2024.