When police officers kill people without apparent justification, those officers may face both criminal charges – as in the case of Derek Chauvin, convicted of murdering George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020 – and civil lawsuits.
Floyd’s family filed a federal civil rights suit against Chauvin and three other officers, alleging they used “unjustified, excessive, illegal and deadly force” while detaining him. The suit also named the city of Minneapolis, alleging city officials did not have good policies about using force and didn’t train the officers properly.
In March 2021, as Chauvin’s criminal trial was set to begin, the city settled the lawsuit – agreeing to pay US$27 million to Floyd’s family – but Chauvin and the other officers paid nothing. Continue reading.