Appeals court: Judge can hear arguments for adding charges to Lane, Thao and Kueng cases

(FOX 9) - A Minnesota Appeals Court says Judge Peter Cahill can hear arguments to add aiding and abetting third-degree murder charges against former Minneapolis police officers Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng. 

The opinion, filed Wednesday, says Cahill can listen to arguments and make a ruling based on precedents set in the Mohamed Noor and Derek Chauvin trials. 

Currently, the former officers are facing aiding and abetting second-degree murder charges and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter charges. 

The court made a similar ruling in the Chauvin trial and Cahill allowed a third-degree murder charge in that case as well, but only after Judge Cahill initially struck down the added charge, which sent the decision to the appeals court. 

The Supreme Court is expected to hear the case.