Minneapolis agrees to pay $27M to settle Floyd family lawsuit

How settlement might affect trial or jury being seated for it was unclear.

MINNEAPOLIS — The city of Minneapolis on Friday agreed to pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit from George Floyd’s family over the Black man’s death in police custody, as jury selection continued in a former officer’s murder trial.

What happened

Councilmembers met privately to discuss the settlement, then returned to public session for a unanimous vote in support of the massive payout. It easily surpassed the $20 million the city approved two years ago to the family of a white woman killed by a police officer.

Floyd family attorney Ben Crump called it the largest pretrial settlement ever for a civil rights claim and thanked city leaders for “showing you care about George Floyd.”

George Floyd’s sister Bridgett Floyd, who attended jury selection earlier this week for former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin, said in a statement she was glad the lawsuit was resolved.

“Our family suffered an irreplaceable loss May 25 when George’s life was senselessly taken by a Minneapolis police officer. While we will never get our beloved George back, we will continue to work tirelessly to make this world a better, and safer, place for all,” she said.

Why it matters

The settlement includes $500,000 for the south Minneapolis neighborhood that includes the intersection that has been blocked by barricades since his death, with a massive metal sculpture and murals in his honor. The city didn’t immediately say how that money would be spent.

Floyd was declared dead May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee against his neck for about nine minutes. Floyd’s death sparked sometimes violent protests in Minneapolis and beyond and led to a national reckoning on racial justice.

What’s next

It wasn’t immediately clear how the settlement might affect the trial or the jury now being seated to hear it. Joseph Daly, a professor emeritus at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, said it will be hard to stop jurors or potential jurors from hearing about it.

Judge Peter Cahill has set aside three weeks for jury selection, with opening statements no sooner than March 29.

JOSHUA RASHAAD MCFADDEN/NEW YORK TIMES 2020 A makeshift memorial to George Floyd is seen June 8 at the spot where he died in police custody in Minneapolis.