George Floyd Murder: Final Ex-Officer Tou Thao Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years as Judge 'Was Hoping for a Little More Remorse'

Former officer Tou Thao will spend nearly half a decade behind bars for his role in the 2020 murder of George Floyd.

Thao is the fourth and final ex-officer to receive his sentence and will serve 57 months (4.75 years) in prison — with credit for the 340 days served prior to his Monday, August 7, sentencing, according to a news publication.

Back in May, the former Minneapolis police officer — who held back bystanders while his fellow law enforcement officials fatally restrained Floyd three years ago — was declared guilty of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter of the North Carolina native after rejecting a plea deal and waving his right to a jury trial.

Upon sentencing, Judge Peter Cahill expressed his disgust with Thao after ordering a lengthier sentence than the 51 months prosecutors asked for.

Cahill scolded Thao, 37, in court on Monday, stating: "I was hoping for a little more remorse, regret, acknowledgment of some responsibility. And less preaching.”

Thao is simultaneously serving an additional three-and-a-half year prison sentence on federal charges after he was declared guilty of depriving Floyd — who was 46 years old at the time of his death — of his civil rights. The U.S. Court of Appeals denied Thao’s appeal in that case last week.

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Thao is the last of the four officers to be charged and sentenced for the murder of Floyd.

Ex-police officer J. Alexander Keung pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter and was sentenced to three-and-a-half years behind bars, while Thomas Lane also pleased guilty to the same charges and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2022.

Derek Chauvin is serving the longest sentence of 22-and-a-half years after he was convicted of state murder and manslaughter charges back in 2021.

Chauvin was the officer who kneeled on Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, as the father-of-five struggled to breathe and desperately fought for his life. Chauvin additionally pleaded guilty to a federal charge of violating Floyd's civil rights, which he is concurrently serving a 21-year prison sentence for.

Floyd's death occurred in outside of a store after a clerk suspected him of using a counterfeit $20 bill, causing the four officers to issue his arrest.

Fox 9 reported on Thao's sentencing.