The family of George Floyd, the Black man who died while being arrested by a white police officer in Minneapolis, has reached a $27 million “wrongful death” settlement with the Minnesota city, lawyers for the family announced Friday.
The settlement is the “largest pre-trial settlement in a civil rights wrongful death case in US history,” the lawyers said in a statement.
Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin is currently on trial facing murder and manslaughter charges in connection with Floyd’s May 25, 2020 death, which was captured on video by bystanders and seen around the globe.
Three other police officers also face charges.
“George Floyd’s horrific death, witnessed by millions of people around the world, unleashed a deep longing and undeniable demand for justice and change,” said Ben Crump, a Floyd family lawyer.
“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 color must end,” Crump said.
The settlement results from a federal lawsuit the Floyd family filed in July against the city of Minneapolis.
Floyd’s brother Rodney said the agreement is “a necessary step for all of us to begin to get some closure.”
“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,” he said.
