George Floyd settlement is largest yet for police killing

There have been six major financial settlements in wake of police killings of Black people since 2015.

Philonise Floyd, George Floyd's brother, gestures as he addresses the media during a news conference announcing a $27m settlement with the City of Minneapolis [Nicholas Pfosi/Reuters]

The $27m settlement made on Friday by the city of Minneapolis for the police killing of George Floyd is the largest won by the family of unarmed Black people killed by police since 2015.

Floyd’s death triggered worldwide outrage and nationwide Black Lives Matter protests in the United States that at times turned into violent clashes with police.

Here is a list of the financial settlements in such cases to date:

George Floyd

A 46-year-old man who was reported for allegedly using a fake $20 bill, Floyd died on May 25, 2020, while handcuffed after a Minneapolis, Minnesota police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes.

Settlement: A wrongful death suit filed against Minneapolis resulted in a $27m offer of payment by the Minneapolis City Council on Friday. The family is seeking additional reforms to the police department.

Breonna Taylor

A 26-year-old emergency room technician, Taylor was killed on March 13, 2020, by Louisville, Kentucky, police who burst into her home with a battering ram in a raid on the wrong house. Taylor’s boyfriend fired his gun at the intruders who returned fire, killing Taylor.

Settlement: Louisville paid $12m to Taylor’s mother and agreed to police department reforms to settle a wrongful death suit.

Walter Scott

Scott, who was unarmed, was shot in the back while fleeing on foot from a traffic stop in North Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.

Settlement: His family reached a $6.5m settlement with the city of North Charleston.

Freddie Gray

A Black man, Gray died from injuries he sustained while in handcuffs and leg irons after being thrown into the back of a Baltimore police van in 2015.

Settlement: His family received $6.4m from the city of Baltimore.

Philando Castile

A motorist, Castile was shot and killed during a 2016 traffic stop in a suburb of St Paul, Minnesota, after telling police he had a gun in the vehicle. His girlfriend, sitting in the front seat of the car, live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting.

Settlement: Castile’s family was awarded $3m. His girlfriend received $800,000 in a separate settlement.

Stephon Clark

Clark was killed by Sacramento, California, police in 2018 after they chased him into his grandmother’s back yard. He was unarmed. Hundreds protested against his killing.

Settlement: A judge awarded Clark’s two children $2.4m.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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