Minneapolis council committee OKs $30,000 to witness to George Floyd’s murder

A Minneapolis City Council committee agreed Monday to pay $30,000 to a man who witnessed the 2020 police killing of George Floyd, and begged Floyd to cooperate with police who were trying to arrest him for passing a fake $20 bill at Cup Foods.

Charles McMillian, 64, tearfully relived Floyd’s death during former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s 2021 murder trial, breaking down as he recalled watching Floyd die on the street in his south Minneapolis neighborhood.

He filed a legal claim against the city for emotional distress, and on Monday, the Administration & Enterprise Oversight Committee approved the settlement. The full council next takes up the settlement, which would be paid out of the city’s self-insurance fund.

Earlier this year, the City Council approved a $150,000 settlement with Donald Williams, another eyewitness who alleged that he was assaulted by police while trying to intervene in Floyd’s arrest. The city has paid out nearly $50 million in police brutality claims in the aftermath of Floyd’s killing.

McMillian testified during Chauvin’s trial that he was driving near Cup Foods at 38th Street and Chicago Avenue when he saw Minneapolis police officers standing by Floyd’s SUV and stopped to see what was going on.

When the officers handcuffed Floyd, walked him across the street and pinned him to the ground after a struggle in the squad car, McMillian begged Floyd not to resist arrest, yelling “you can’t win!” and “get up and get in the car!” Floyd repeatedly said he couldn’t.

The jury found Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for nearly 9 1⁄2 minutes, guilty of all charges. He’s serving a 21-year federal sentence for violating Floyd’s civil rights and a 22½-year state sentence for second-degree murder.

Messages left with McMillian and the law firm representing him weren’t returned.