Eight minority officers were awarded a $1.5 million settlement in a lawsuit over former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s case.
According to reports, the eight officers of color were awarded $1.5 million on Aug. 9 after filing a suit alleging racial discrimination. In the lawsuit, they alleged that Ramsey Jail superintendent Steve Lydon barred them from guarding the floor where Chauvin was being held. Chauvin is the former white officer convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the 2020 death of George Floyd.
The eight officers, identified as Black, Pacific Islander-American, Hispanic and multiracial, added that Ramsey County allegedly violated the Minnesota Human Rights Act by discriminating against them because of their race. They further alleged that Lydon believed they weren’t trustworthy enough to perform their duties around Chauvin and thus ordered them to “segregate” from the floor.
The minority officer’s settlement, which noted that the county “denied and continues to deny liability,” was approved during a Ramsey County Board of Commissioners meeting. It also called for the county to apologize in a written statement and acknowledge that Lydon’s order was discriminatory and wrong.
Board Chairwoman Trista MatasCastillo apologized, saying that the leaders in the sheriff’s department’s decisions were “more than just wrong — they were racist, heinous, highly disrespectful and completely out of line with Ramsey County’s vision and values.”
The eight plaintiffs reportedly said they hope jail managers will work toward changes to create a safe and welcoming work environment. Their lawyer, Lucas J. Kaster, commended them for being brave, saying they took “bold action” to “speak out against” the “racism they experienced.”
“During an unprecedented time in our community, the officers took the bold action to step forward and speak out against the segregation and racism they experienced,” Kaster said about their case.
On the other hand, Lydon has reportedly been demoted from his position.
