Former Minnesota police officer gets 3.5 years in prison over George Floyd death

Former Minneapolis police officer J. Alexander Kueng on Friday received a three and one half year prison sentence for his involvement in the 2020 death of George Floyd.

Kueng previously pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting manslaughter, according to Reuters. He was one of four officers who attempted to arrest Floyd for allegedly using counterfeit currency.

During the altercation, former officer Derek Chauvin restrained Floyd by press his knee to his neck, which ultimately caused his death. Chauvin received a 21-year prison sentence in July for violating Floyd's civil rights and will serve that sentence concurrently with his 22.5 year sentence for his murder.

Kueng, a rookie policeman and the only black officer on the scene, kept bystanders from intervening in the incident. He previously received a three-year sentence in July for violating Floyd's civil rights. He will serve the sentences concurrently.

He had joined the department thinking that "diversity could force change in a police department long accused of racism," the New York Times reported shortly after Floyd's death.