The family of George Floyd has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on behalf of the family of George Floyd against the city of Minneapolis and the officers involved with his death.
The lawsuit was filed Monday and argues that the prone restraint techniques used by the Minneapolis Police Department, the “warrior style” training each officer in the Department receives, the Department’s failure to terminate dangerous officers, and the Department’s failure to address and eradicate racially biased policing all contributed to the death of George Floyd.
The lawsuit also argues that the officers charged in Floyd’s death, Chauvin, Thao, Lane, and Kueng, each violated George Floyd’s Fourth Amendment rights by using excessive and deadly force. It asserts that none of the officers “ever had a reasonable fear of imminent bodily harm, nor did they have a reasonable belief that any other person was in danger of imminent bodily danger from Mr. Floyd at any point in time.” The suit also contends that officers Thoa, Lane, and Kuengs’ failure to intervene and prevent Chauvin form continuously kneeling on George Floyd’s neck in combination with their failure to render medical aid after discovering George Floyd’s state of unconsciousness also violated his Fourth Amendment right.
The suit will also seek to hold the City of Minneapolis accountable for the death of George Floyd for their failure to train and discipline the officers properly. The suit alleges that the City of Minneapolis had the opportunity to fire or discipline officers Chauvin and Thao in response to numerous complaints filed against them.
Finally, the suit also claims that the City of Minneapolis was made aware of systemic unconstitutional practices at the police department and failed to provide adequate training to correct such practices. Instead, it suggests that:
on or prior to May 25, 2020, Minneapolis, with deliberate indifference the rights of arrestees, detainees and the like, tolerated, permitted, failed to correct, promoted, fostered or ratified a number of customs, patterns, or practices, that condoned and required officers to treat the members of the Black Community of Minneapolis differently, including but not limited to implementing deadly force at a higher rate against Black men who did not pose a threat to officers.”
The family will seek both compensatory and punitive damages against the former officers and the City of Minneapolis as well as the appointment of a new authority to ensure the proper training of Minneapolis police officers.
