Floyd family agrees to $27M settlement amidst ex-cop’s trial

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.

Minnesota: The city of Minneapolis has agreed to pay $27 million to settle a civil lawsuit from George Floyd's family over the Black man's death in police custody.

The settlement was announced Friday as jury selection continued in the trial of Derek Chauvin, a white former officer charged with murder and manslaughter in Floyd's death.

Floyd family attorneys Ben Crump, Chris Stewart and Antonio Romanucci held a news conference Friday with the Floyd family and Minneapolis officials, including Mayor Jacob Frey.

"The one thing we know as Black people in America that there is no guarantee that a police officer will be convicted for killing a Black person unjustly in our country. That's what history has taught us," said Ben Crump, Floyd family attorney.

He added, "Only the fact that you want a jury that will be fair and impartial and that will follow the law as instructed by the judge based on the evidence, and obviously you want a jury who will respect George Floyd and not devalue him because he was a Black man."

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Floyd was declared dead on May 25 after Chauvin pressed his knee against his neck for about nine minutes.

Floyd's family filed the federal civil rights lawsuit in July against the city, Chauvin and three other fired officers charged in his death.

It isn't clear how the settlement might affect the trial or the jury now being seated to hear it.

Crump said the settlement is a way "to help shape what justice looks like" rather than waiting for a result from a legal system that many Blacks distrust.

READ:'Officer was on Floyd's neck for about 9 minutes'

"The one thing we know as Black people ... is there is no guarantee that a police officer will be convicted for killing a Black person unjustly in our country," Crump said.

"We are here together as a team and we're turning our purpose, our pain into purpose. Thank you all so much," said Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother.

Stewart said the civil case 'doesn't have anything to do with' the trial.

He said, "Justice really doesn't really wait. It happens when it happens and it happened today. You know, we're not going to delay justice because we're worried about the outcome of the criminal trial that we all pray, you know, what outcome we want."

READ: Minneapolis eyes deep police cuts after Floyd’s death

AP