Minneapolis Reaches $27 Million Settlement With George Floyd’s Family
The city of Minneapolis has reached a $27 million settlement with George Floyd’s family. The agreement happen weeks before the trial for Derek Chauvin, the former officer charged with murder in Floyd’s death, is scheduled to begin.
The historic agreement is the largest pre-trial settlement ever recorded in U.S. history.
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Attorney Ben Crump says in a statement:
“This historic $27 million settlement is PROOF that Black lives will no longer be written off as trivial, unimportant, or unworthy of consequences. #BlackLivesMatter“
The City Council unanimously approved the settlement Friday after adding the matter to its agenda for a closed session. The settlement includes a $500,000 contribution from Floyd’s family to the community at the intersection of 38th and Chicago Avenue — now widely known as George Floyd Square.
“I hope that today will center the voices of the family and anything that they would like to share,” Council President Lisa Bender said. “But I do want to, on behalf of the entire City Council, offer my deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd, his friends and all of our community who are mourning his loss.”
In a statement Friday, one of Floyd’s sisters, Bridgett Floyd, said: “On behalf of all of my family members, I am pleased that this part of our tragic journey to justice for my brother George is resolved.”
Floyd’s family filed a federal lawsuit in July against the city and the four officers involved in the arrest that led to his death. The lawsuit took issue with neck restraints and police policies and training, among other things. It sought compensatory and special damages in an amount to be determined by a jury.
Chauvin, was recorded kneeling on Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes on May 25, while a handcuffed Floyd repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe” and called out for his mother.
Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, as well as third-degree murder. Jury selection is underway in his trial. Six of 12 jurors have been seated as of Friday morning.
The three other officers involved — Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Alexander Kueng — are charged with aiding and abetting both second-degree murder and manslaughter.
They are expected to go to trial in August. All four officers were fired the day after Floyd’s death.
