The city of Minneapolis has reached a $27 million settlement with the family of George Floyd, the unarmed black man whose death in May 2020 sparked protests worldwide.
George Floyd’s death after being trapped under the knee of former police officer Derek Chauvin was captured on camera.
Lawyers for the Floyd family said the footage created “undeniable demand for justice and change”.
Jury selection for Derek Chauvin’s murder trial is currently under way.
Six out of 12 jurors have been selected for hearings beginning on March 29.
The Minneapolis City Council voted unanimously to approve the pre-trial settlement, the largest ever awarded in the state of Minnesota.
“That the largest pre-trial settlement in a wrongful death case ever would be for the life of a black man sends a powerful message that black lives do matter and police brutality against people of color must end,” said Floyd family attorney Ben Crump.
In a video of George Floyd’s death that went viral on social media, four police officers confront the man for allegedly using a counterfeit $20 bill at a local shop.
They drag him to the ground and Derek Chauvin places his knee on George Floyd’s neck, even as he begs for his life and says “I can’t breathe”. He was later pronounced dead in hospital.
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Lawyers for the Floyd family filed a civil suit one month later, in June 2020.
They argued the city of Minneapolis had been negligent for failing to train officers in proper restraint techniques and for not dismissing officers with a poor track record. Dozens of complaints had previously been filed against Derek Chauvin, who had been serving on the city police force for 19 years.
Speaking after the settlement was announced, Ben Crump said it was but “one step” on the journey to justice. George Floyd’s death was a catalyst for reckoning on race and bias, he said.
The civil settlement comes at the end of the first week in criminal court proceedings over Derek Chauvin’s murder trial.
Derek Chauvin is facing charges of second and third degree murder and second degree manslaughter. If found guilty on all counts, the former officer could face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison. He has pleaded not guilty.
Six jurors have been selected for the trial so far.
The final bench will require 12 jurors and four alternates – or substitutes – but suitable jurors have been hard to find in this emotionally charged and high-profile case.
The three other officers involved in George Floyd’s death – J Alexander Keung, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane – were charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter, and will be tried separately later this year.
