The Minneapolis City Council on Friday approved a $ 27 million civil settlement with the family of George Floyd over the death of the black man in police custody last year. The city council voted 13-0 to approve the deal, which directs $ 500,000 to be used to benefit the George Floyd 38th Memorial site with Chicago.
Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes is on trial for manslaughter and wrongful death. Three other former police officers involved in the fatal arrest are accused of complicity and complicity and will be tried jointly in August. The family’s lawsuit was filed against the city on July 15, alleging that the four former police officers violated Floyd’s rights when they restrained him, CBS Minnesota reported.
“Mr. Floyd died because the weight of the entire Minneapolis Police Department was on his neck,” said attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, when the case was opened.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said that Floyd’s death caused a “century-old reckoning around racial justice that struck Minneapolis like a flash” and reverberated around the world. Frey said the deal reflects a commitment to advancing racial justice and thanked Floyd’s family for partnering with the city in reform measures.
In statements on Friday, the Floyd family said they were grateful for the deal, but said that no amount of money could cure the pain of their loss.
“Even though my brother is not here, he is here with me in my heart,” said Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd. “Because if I could bring it back, I would give it all back.”
Floyd said his brother started a movement and thanked supporters, especially those who took to the streets to protest in the midst of a pandemic.
“You put your lives at risk – there is nothing I can do to repay that because you have shown who you are,” said Philonise Floyd.
Crump called the settlement “historic” and thanked the city leaders, who he called “progressive and deeply moral”. Crump said the deal sends a message that the unjust murders of blacks should not be considered “trivial, unimportant or unworthy of consequences”.
“George Floyd’s family and our legal team are very grateful to Mayor Frey and the city council not only for saying that you care about George Floyd, but for showing that you care about George Floyd – not just for saying that the lives of black people is important, but for showing the world where black lives are important, “said Crump.
Crump noted that Saturday marks a dark anniversary – a year since the fatal police shooting in Breonna Taylor in Louisville during an unsuccessful police raid. Floyd and Taylor will be “forever connected in history as two people who were taken from us by the hands of people who were supposed to protect them, serve them,” said Crump.
Floyd’s family is in contact with Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, said Crump.
Crump also called on protesters to remain peaceful while Chauvin’s trial continues with the selection of the jury.
In a statement, Floyd’s sister, Bridgett Floyd, who was not present, said: “I am pleased that this part of our tragic journey to justice for my brother George has been resolved.”
“Our family suffered an irreplaceable loss on May 25, when George’s life was taken meaningless by a Minneapolis police officer,” said Bridgett Floyd. “Although we will never have our beloved George back, we will continue to work tirelessly to make this world a better and safer place for everyone.”
The lawsuit also says the city has allowed a culture of excessive force and racism to proliferate within the police department. Speaking on Friday, lawyers representing Floyd’s family members said they were excited that the Minneapolis police department had suffered substantial reforms, but it will require more changes.
Lawyer Antonio Romanucci said the family hopes that further reforms will be implemented in the police department, including a panel to review all incidents of use of force, a quality assurance unit to ensure that reforms are carried out, and an intervention system that will depend on analysis to identify problem officers. He said the deal should be a “wake-up call” for police departments across the country to quickly make reforms to prevent unnecessary deaths and serious injuries.
“This case has been defined as a watershed for civil rights in America and around the world,” said Romanucci. “I can tell you … this seems like a turning point for police reform, but only because there were conscious choices that were made to do so.”