photo credit: Jeff Bukowski // Shutterstock

The Minneapolis police officer, Derek Chauvin, who had his knee in George Floyd’s neck for over 8 minutes has been given a new, more serious charge of second-degree murder, from third-degree. 

Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng, who helped restrain Floyd, and Tou Thao, who stood near the others, were not initially charged. Lane, 37, Kueng, 26, and Thao, 34, are now charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.

“I strongly believe that these developments are in the interest of justice for Mr. Floyd, his family, our community and our state,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said in announcing the charges.

According to CNN, the new second-degree murder charge says that he killed Floyd “without intent” in the course of committing assault in the third degree, according to an amended complaint.