The city of Minneapolis has agreed to pay $8.9 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of George Floyd, who was killed by former police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020. The settlement is one of the largest ever paid out by a city in a police misconduct case.
The lawsuit alleged that Chauvin had a history of using excessive force and that the city failed to properly train and supervise him. It also claimed that the city had a pattern of tolerating police misconduct and failing to hold officers accountable for their actions.
The settlement comes as Chauvin is on trial for murder in Floyd’s death. The trial has attracted national attention and sparked protests across the country.
The $8.9 million settlement will be paid out over several years and will be used to support the George Floyd Memorial Foundation, which was established by Floyd’s family to promote social justice and racial equality.
In a statement, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the settlement “reflects a shared commitment to advancing racial justice and a sustained push for progress.”
The settlement is just one step in the ongoing effort to address police misconduct and racial injustice in Minneapolis and across the country. Many activists and advocates are calling for broader reforms, including changes to police training, accountability measures, and the allocation of resources away from law enforcement and towards community-based programs.
The settlement also highlights the high cost of police misconduct to taxpayers. In recent years, cities across the country have paid out millions of dollars in settlements and judgments related to police misconduct, including excessive force, false arrests, and wrongful deaths.
As the trial of Derek Chauvin continues, it remains to be seen what impact the settlement will have on the outcome of the case or on efforts to reform policing in Minneapolis and beyond. However, it is clear that the legacy of George Floyd’s death will continue to shape public discourse and policy for years to come.
