The Unseen Aftermath Of George Floyd's Death: Witness Bags $150,000 Settlement

By Jennifer Wentworth | Sunday, 28 April 2024 10:30 AM
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The Unseen Aftermath Of George Floyd's Death: Witness Bags $150,000 Settlement
Image Credit : Ford Foundation

The Minneapolis City Council has sanctioned a settlement of $150,000 to Donald Williams, a witness to the infamous incident involving the death of George Floyd, a figurehead of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Williams, who alleges that the traumatic experience led to him developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), had filed a lawsuit against the city last year.

As reported by The Star Tribune, Williams, 35, claimed that he was assaulted by police officers at the intersection of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue while attempting to intervene in Floyd's arrest. On the evening of May 25, 2020, Williams was near the Cup Foods corner store when he observed then-Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck for nearly 9 ½ minutes, despite Floyd's pleas for his life.

The incident was captured on video by a teenage bystander, Darnella Frazier, which showed Williams as one of the most vocal observers, urging Chauvin to release Floyd, who was by then unresponsive, and check his pulse. According to the lawsuit, Chauvin responded by grabbing a canister of chemical spray from his duty belt and shaking it towards Williams and other concerned bystanders. Officer Tou Thao, noticing Williams' vocal protests, stepped towards him and placed a hand on his chest.

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Williams alleges that the actions of the officers, who have since been convicted, led him to fear for his safety and endure pain, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment, and medical expenses.

This payout is the latest in a series of repercussions following Floyd's death in 2020, which sparked months of violent Black Lives Matter protests and political demands from the far-left. Despite Chauvin's conviction for murder, questions persist regarding his actual responsibility for Floyd's death. Floyd's official autopsy report indicates that he did not die from asphyxiation due to a knee on his neck, but from a fentanyl overdose that he ingested prior to his arrest.

Chauvin continues to face severe consequences for his actions. In November of last year, he was stabbed multiple times while in prison, resulting in serious injuries that nearly cost him his life.

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