St Paul, Feb 15 (AP) A former Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd's killing says he was relying on his fellow officers to care for Floyd's medical needs as he controlled onlookers as police tried to arrest the Black man.

Former Minneapolis Police Officer Tou Thao is one of three former officers charged in federal court with violating Floyd's constitutional rights when Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for 9 1/2 minutes as the 46-year-old Black man was handcuffed, facedown on the street.

Also Read | Imran Khan Government’s Financial Challenges Worsen as Pakistan Asked to Return Saudi’s USD 3 Billion Loan.

Thao held back bystanders. J. Alexander Kueng knelt on Floyd's back and Thomas Lane held his legs.

Thao took the stand Tuesday as the fired officers began presenting their defence. He said he took a “crowd control” position on the roadway, to serve as a “a human traffic cone” to keep traffic away from the other officers. (AP) RS

Also Read | Kim Jong-un Sends Gardeners to Labour Camp for Failing To Make 'Kimjongilia' Flowers Bloom for Father's Birthday.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)