03/12/2021 4:21 PM
Clarín.com
World
Updated 03/12/2021 4:21 PM
As jury selection continued in the trial of a police officer accused of murdering George Floyd,
the Minneapolis city council agreed on Friday to pay $ 27 million
to the victim's family.
After a closed session, the Council announced the settlement for a record high,
including $ 500,000 for the neighborhood
where Floyd was arrested.
The Floyd family's attorney, Ben Crump, said in a statement that it was
the settlement for the largest civil rights case in history
, which “sends a powerful message that black lives do matter and police brutality against people of color must cease ”.
Floyd was pronounced dead on May 25 during his controversial arrest
by then-police officer Derek Chauvin
, who in order to control him held
his knee on the black man's neck
for about nine minutes.
Floyd's death sparked
violent protests in Minneapolis
and other cities, leading to a national discussion on discrimination and racism.
In July, the Floyd family sued the city and the four officers implicated in his death, alleging that the officers violated Floyd's rights and the city allowed a culture of excessive force, racism and impunity to flourish in its police force.
Source: agencies
DV