Floyd family settles

The city of Minneapolis agreed to pay $27 million to the family of George Floyd, settling a civil lawsuit over Floyd’s death in police custody.

Minneapolis city council members privately discussed the settlement before they unanimously voted in favor of the payout in a public session. The Floyd family attorney, Ben Crump, says this is the largest pre-trial settlement ever for a civil rights claim. 

In 2019, the city of Minneapolis paid $20 million to the family of Justice Ruszcyk Damand, an unarmed white woman who was shot by police after calling 911. This Floyd family settlement sets a precedent for civil rights cases that will hopefully ensure accountability in the future.

Currently, the jury selection for the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck. This is significant because the news of this settlement can inflict bias upon current or potential jurors, making it increasingly difficult to obtain a fair trial.