Lawyers for the family of George Floyd say that the city of Minneapolis has agreed to a $27 million settlement for wrongful death, which they are calling “the largest pre-trial settlement in a civil rights wrongful death case in US history.”
Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvan is currently on trial for the murder of George Floyd. A video of him kneeling on Floyd’s neck prior to his death went viral last year and sparked a wave of protests against police brutality.
Lawyer Ben Crump said of the settlement:
“George Floyd’s horrific death, witnessed by millions of people around the world, unleashed a deep longing and undeniable demand for justice and change. 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.”
Floyd’s brother Rodney said the settlement is “a necessary step for all of us to begin to get some closure”, adding “George’s legacy for those who loved him will always be his spirit of optimism that things can get better, and we hope this agreement does just that.”
Chauvin is charged with both second-degree and third-degree murder, which carry respective maximum sentences of 40 and 25 years. Arguments in his trial start at the end of March, with a verdict anticipated in late April.
