Former police officer charged with violating George Floyd's civil rights testifies

A former cop charged with violating George Floyd's civil rights took the witness stand in his own defense.

A fired Minneapolis police officer charged alongside two former colleagues with violating George Floyd's civil rights during the fatal arrest took the witness stand in his own defense on Tuesday.

Tou Thao, 35, is the first defendant charged in the high-profile federal case to speak publicly about his actions during the 2020 episode that prompted nationwide protests and resulted in the murder conviction of his then-senior officer Derek Chauvin in state court last year.

Thao's co-defendants, J. Alexander Kueng, 28, and Thomas Lane, 38, have also informed U.S. District Court Judge Paul Magnuson that they will testify in the trial taking place in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Thao was among the first witnesses called by the defense a day after prosecutors rested their case.