Tobias Sylvester
The city of Minneapolis has agreed to pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit from George Floyd’s family over the Black man’s death in police custody.
The settlement which was announced on Friday by Floyd’s family attorney, Ben Crump, includes $500,000 for the neighborhood in which the Black man’s fatal arrest took place.
“George Floyd’s horrific death, witnessed by millions of people around the world, unleashed a deep longing and undeniable demand for justice and change,” Crump said in a statement.
“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 colour must end.”
The civil settlement comes at the end of the first week in criminal court proceedings over the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the white police officer allegedly responsible for the death of George Floyd.
KanyiDaily had reported how George Floyd died on May 25, 2020, after Derek Chauvin pinned him to the ground by pressing his knee into Floyd’s neck for over eight minutes as the black man repeatedly said, “I can’t breathe.”
Floyd’s death set off worldwide outrage with countless protests for an end to police violence against black citizens, and for justice to be duly served to the four former Minneapolis officers involved in killing the 46-year-old man.
After series of anti-racism protest, Chauvin was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter.
Chauvin has pleaded not guilty, with his trial set to go ahead on March 29. If convicted for second-degree murder he could face 25 years in prison, or 40 years if found guilty of second-degree murder. If found guilty on all counts, he could face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
The three other officers involved in Floyd’s death – J Alexander Keung, Tou Thao and Thomas Lane – were both charged with aiding and abetting murder and manslaughter, and will be tried separately later this year. All four officers were fired.
