Former Minneapolis Officer Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years for Role in George Floyd’s Death

Tou Thao (R) stands with his defense attorney Robert Paule during his sentencing hearing in Hennepin County District Court in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 7, 2023. Leila Navidi/Star Tribune via AP

MINNEAPOLIS—Tou Thao, the last former Minneapolis police officer convicted in state court for his role in the death of George Floyd, was sentenced Monday to 4 years and 9 months.

Mr. Thao had previously testified that he merely served as a “human traffic cone” when he held back concerned bystanders who gathered as former Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck on May 25, 2020.