This combination of photos provided by the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office in Minnesota on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, shows Derek Chauvin, from left, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder of George Floyd, a black man who died after being restrained by him and the other Minneapolis police officers on May 25. Kueng, Lane and Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting Chauvin. (Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Four former Minneapolis police officers charged with violating George Floyd’s civil rights have pleaded not guilty to the federal charges against them. A federal grand jury indicted Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J. Kueng and Tou Thao in May for allegedly depriving Floyd of his rights while acting under government authority. Tuesday’s hearing was held remotely via videoconference. Chauvin appeared from a state prison, where he is serving a 22 1/2-year sentence for murder. Attorneys and the judge worked through about 40 pretrial motions, including a request for Lane, Kueng and Thao to stand trial separate from Chauvin. The judge is seeking more written arguments on that issue.