Minneapolis will pay $600,000 to settle with woman who claims ex-officer Derek Chauvin knelt on her neck

The city of Minneapolis has agreed to pay $600,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman who accused former Officer Derek Chauvin of pulling her from her minivan and pinning her to the ground with his knee in January 2020, similar to the actions he took months later when he killed George Floyd.

As reported by the Associated Press, Patty Day, who was previously employed by the Public Works Department, claimed in the lawsuit, filed last May, that she experienced excessive force and a wrongful arrest. She admitted to being intoxicated on the evening of January 17, 2020, and struggling with depression due to her impending divorce and other personal issues when she got stuck in the snow for several hours.

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Chauvin and his partner that night, Officer Ellen Jensen, eventually arrived on the scene. The lawsuit alleged that the officers “violently yanked” Day from her vehicle and threw her to the pavement, causing several injuries.

“Chauvin then assumed his signature pose, pressing his knee into the subdued and handcuffed Patty’s back — just as he would later do to snuff the life out of George Floyd — and remaining that way well after Patty was controlled,” the complaint alleged. A drunken driving charge was later dropped after a judge ruled that the officers lacked probable cause to arrest her and suppressed the blood alcohol test evidence.

The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved the $600,000 settlement on Thursday. Council member LaTrisha Vetaw informed her colleagues that $175,000 will be allocated to Patty Day, while her attorneys will receive $425,000.

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This brings the total amount the city has paid to settle police misconduct cases involving Derek Chauvin to over $36 million, including $27 million to the family of George Floyd, AP reported.

“While no settlement can undo what Patty endured, we are grateful to have reached an agreement that holds the officers accountable for their actions,” Day's attorney, Katie Bennett, said in a statement. “This case is yet another example of the critical need for justice and reform in policing.”

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Chauvin, who is white, is currently incarcerated at a federal prison in Texas following his conviction in state court for murdering George Floyd and his federal conviction for violating Floyd's civil rights. The murder of the Black man ignited a national reckoning on racial injustice.

(With inputs from AP)