Thousands march in Baltimore protesting police brutality and the killing of George Floyd in Minnesota at the hands of local police, on June 1, 2020.  Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM

The estate of George Floyd, whose death sparked national protests over racism and police violence, on Wednesday sued the city of Minneapolis and the four police officers criminally charged with his killing, alleging civil rights violations and excessive force.

The lawsuit, filed in Minnesota federal court, claimed that the city's police department ignored warning signs and had long trained its officers to use neck restraints as a form of authorized "non-deadly force" when carrying out arrests.

The complaint was surfaced by Law.com's Legal Radar.

According to the complaint, Minneapolis knew by 2012 that the maneuver could lead to death, but never warned officers about the dangers. Instead, the lawsuit said, the city engaged in unconstitutional "patterns and practices" that placed citizens, particularly in Black and minority communities, at risk.

"By policy, the MPD permitted and condoned the use of both conscious and unconscious neck restraints by its officers from at least April 15, 2012 until June 8, 2020," the suit said.

Floyd's family is represented by civil rights attorney Ben Crump, as well as lawyers from at least six other law firms in Minnesota and other states, according to the complaint.

Floyd died in police custody May 25, while handcuffed and lying face down on a city street. Video of the incident showed former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on the back of the man's neck for nearly nine minutes while he cried out that he was unable to breathe.

Chauvin has since been charged with manslaughter and second- and third-degree murder, and three other officers on the scene were charged with aiding and abetting Floyd's death. All four have been fired from the police force.

The three-count suit alleged that all four officers violated Floyd's Fourth and 14th Amendment rights in carrying out the arrest and that Minneapolis had fostered a culture of racism and impunity within its police department. It seeks a money judgment against the former officers, as well as special damages against the city and the appointment of a receiver to ensure that the city "properly trains and supervises" its police.

Meanwhile, demonstrations against police violence and racism continue across the country, now in their seventh week.

 

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