George Floyd: $27 Million To Be Awarded To Floyd Family In Settlement
The Democrat supermajority Minneapolis City Council unanimously agreed to give $27 million dollars to the family of the late George Floyd, a man who died while in police custody. His death sparked mass violence and riots across the nation.
Floyd’s family attorney, Ben Crump, called the multi-million-dollar settlement “historic.” He thanked the city politicians for putting the lawsuit to rest and for focusing on future policy changes.
“This agreement is a necessary step for all of us to begin to get some closure,” told Rodney Floyd, one of the Floyd brothers, to the New York Times. “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 — that it makes things a little better in Minneapolis and holds up a light for communities around the country.”
“I hope that today will center the voices of the family and anything that they would like to share,” said Lisa Bender, city council president, reports Associated Press. “But I do want to, on behalf of the entire City Council, offer my deepest condolences to the family of George Floyd, his friends, and all of our community who are mourning his loss.”
The New York Times reported that $500,000 of the settlement will go toward the “community” around 38th Street and Chicago Avenue, where Floyd died. The area is now unofficially known as George Floyd Square and is a make-shift memorial site after Floyd’s death. Police officers and reporters are reportedly barred from visiting the area.
There are no details on how the settlement money will be used for the “community” in the area.
Jurors are currently being selected for the George Floyd case. According to NBC News, prosecutors will need to convince the jury that the officers engaged in an “eminently dangerous act” that directly caused Floyd’s death.
