George Floyd: Family sues Minneapolis, officers involved in murder

The family of George Floyd has filed a lawsuit against the City of Minneapolis and the four officers involved in Floyd’s death.

The family’s Attorney, Ben Crump and co-counsel Antonio Romanucci announced the lawsuit on Wednesday 15th July 2020 in the U.S. District Court in Minnesota,

The civil lawsuit alleged the officers involved in Floyd’s murder violated Floyd’s rights by restraining him. It also alleged that the city allows a culture of excessive force, racism and impunity to flourish in the police department in the city.

While commenting on the lawsuit, Crump in a statement said, “This complaint shows what we have said all along, that Mr. Floyd died because the weight of the entire Minneapolis Police Department was on his neck,”

“The City of Minneapolis has a history of policies, procedures and deliberate indifference that violates the rights of arrestees, particularly Black men, and highlights the need for officer training and discipline,” added Crump

According to Crump, the lawsuit aims to set a precedent to prevent death like Floyd’s from happening in the city. He said the lawsuit is the one “that makes it financially prohibitive for police to wrongfully kill marginalized people — especially Black people — in the future.”

“This is an unprecedented case, with this lawsuit we seek to create a precedent,” Crump stated.

Gorge Floyd, a 46-year-old black American man was killed on May 25 by a police officer Derek Chauvin who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than 8 minutes leading to Floyd’s death.

The officers were relieved of their jobs with Chauvin later charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, and the other officers Tou Thao, Thomas Lane and J. Kueng are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Crump Emphasized that killing Floyd amounts to torture referring to the way Floyd was killed. Speaking about this, Crump said, “It was the knee of the entire Minneapolis police department on the neck of George Floyd that killed him.”

George Floyd’s death has triggered protests in the city, the U.S.A and around the world.

His death also led to call by many city council members demanding for abolishment of Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a new public safety department.

Attorney Antonio Romanucci, also representing George’s family condemned unconstitutional use of kneel on the neck of non-violent offender. He therefore warned the police department to change its use of force on offenders.

“If you don’t change the use-of-force policies and train, you will have continued failures, as in the death of George Floyd,” he said.