Minneapolis reaches record $27 million settlement with George Floyd's family

The Minneapolis City Council on Friday approved a $27 million settlement with the family of George Floyd, with $500,000 to be set aside for funding in his former community.

Why it matters: Ben Crump, the attorney for the Floyd family, called it the largest pretrial civil rights settlement ever and said in a statement that it "sends a powerful message that Black lives do matter and police brutality against people of color must end."

The big picture: Floyd's family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis in July, accusing the officers charged in connection with his killing of "unjustified, excessive, and illegal" use of force.

• The settlement was reached the same week that jury selection began in the criminal trial of former police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with second-degree murder.
• The killing of the 46-year-old Black man in police custody last May set off mass protests around the world, after a video went viral showing Chauvin with his knee on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds before his death.

What they're saying: “Our family is grateful for all those who care so deeply about George’s life and our loss, and this agreement is a necessary step for all of us to begin to get some closure," Rodney Floyd, George Floyd's brother, said in a news release.

• "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,” he added.

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