Minneapolis Agrees To $150,000 Settlement With Man Who Witnessed George Floyd’s Death

The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to pay a $150,000 settlement to a man who witnessed the death of George Floyd in 2020.

Donald Williams, a mixed martial arts fighter who testified against former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin in his 2021 murder trials, claims that he has suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder since witnessing the incident. In 2023, he filed a lawsuit against the city in which he claimed that he was assaulted by police officers when he tried to intervene and prevent Floyd’s death.

The council unanimously approved the settlement without discussion Thursday, according to a report from the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The lawsuit alleged that Chauvin looked directly at Williams before grabbing a canister of pepper spray.  Chauvin then proceeded to shake the canister at Williams and a number of other eyewitnesses who were attempting to intervene, Williams’ complaint alleged.

Williams could be heard calling Chauvin a “bum,” according to footage from officer-worn body cameras. Officer Tou Thao at one point stepped forward and placed his hand on Williams’ chest, the lawsuit said.

During Chauvin’s murder trial, Williams told the jury that the officer put Floyd in what MMA fighters refer to as a “blood choke.”

As a result of the officers’ actions, Williams alleged in his lawsuit, he feared for his safety and endured pain, suffering, humiliation, embarrassment and medical expenses.

While Chauvin was found guilty, the circumstances surrounding Floyd’s death have remained controversial.

Despite Williams’ testimony, a hold very similar to the one used on George Floyd was taught in the department’s handbook.

Hundreds of pages of sworn testimony from Hennepin County prosecutors have now revealed that prosecutors acknowledged the “extreme pressure” to prosecute Derrick Chauvin and three additional former Minneapolis police officers. According to court documents, multiple employees of the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, including a prosecutor, withdrew after stating that the pressure to charge the other three officers involved, “violated professional and ethical rules.”