EXPLAINER: New charge unlikely for ex-cops in Floyd death

By AMY FORLITI
Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the third-degree murder conviction of a former Minneapolis police officer won’t change the cases against the three former officers charged in George Floyd’s death. Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting manslaughter. Legal experts say last week’s ruling makes it highly unlikely that a charge of aiding and abetting third-degree murder would be added. The court last week threw out the third-degree murder conviction of Mohamed Noor, the former Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot Justine Ruszczyk Damond in 2017. Noor remains convicted of manslaughter and will be sentenced on that count.