Ex-Minneapolis officer pleads guilty to abetting murder of George Floyd

J Alexander Kueng to serve 3.5 years in prison to run concurrently with previous sentence he was given in federal trial

One of two former Minneapolis police officers charged with aiding and abetting the killing of George Floyd, the Black man whose violent death prompted street protests around the world, has pleaded guilty as part of an agreement with prosecutors hours before jury selection in his trial was to start.

J Alexander Kueng pleaded guilty on Monday to aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter in Floyd's killing. As part of the deal, Keung will serve 3.5 years in prison to run concurrently with a previous three-year sentence he was given in a federal trial, though a more serious charge of aiding and abetting second-degree murder will now be dropped.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.