On March 12, the Minnesota city of Minneapolis agreed over a $27 million settlement with the family of a black man who died during an arrest made by a white police officer.
A 44-year old Minneapolis police officer is held liable for the man's death, and the officer is facing murder and manslaughter charges. Three other police officers are also facing charges over the death that happened on May 25, 2020.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court in July against the city of Minneapolis by the family of the man, and according to a video the police officer was found kneeling on the neck of the 46-year-old handcuffed man for nearly nine minutes. The family is waiting for justice in the criminal courts as the trial against the former officer moves forward.
The civil rights wrongful death case sparked mass protests for racial justice across the U.S., and the pre-trial settlement is considered to be the largest in the nation's history over a wrongful death case.
The settlement includes $500,000, which would be used to improve the historically African-American business district in Minneapolis where the man died.
Additionally, the Minneapolis Police Department agreed to keep body-worn cameras on at all times, to de-escalate non-threatening encounters with citizens by disengaging or walking away, and other measures.
