It's been a few years since Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd. He was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. The charges came from an incident in 2020 where he used excessive force that resulted in the tragic death of Floyd. His death served as an inciting incident sparking protests all across America against police violence and lack of accountability. Now according to a new lawsuit, it may not have been the first time Chauvin used similar excessive force on someone.
According to TMZ, a lawsuit filed by a woman named Patricia Dawn Welch Day cites similar use of excessive force as what would go on to happen to Floyd. She accuses Chauvin and another officer named Ellen Jensen of using unnecessary force on her during a 2020 incident. She claims she was violently removed from her car with no cause and thrown to the ground where she sustained multiple injuries. After that, she alleges she was handcuffed and Chauvin placed his knee on her back. The lawsuit describes the action as similar to what would ultimately end George Floyd's life.
Derek Chauvin his With $9 Million Lawsuit
The lawsuit also takes aim at the Minneapolis Police Department. The MPD have been subject of tons of controversy both before Floyd's murder and since. The lawsuit alleges that there was body cam footage verifying Day's claims but that the department ignored it. Their overlooking of the evidence allowed the officers to continue working and eventually led to the death of George Floyd. She's seeking $9 million from both officers in the case. That's in addition to compensatory and punitive damages of an unknown amount.
What do you think of Derek Chauvin facing a $9 million lawsuit for allegedly similar behavior to what he later did to George Floyd? Do you believe the claims in the lawsuit from just a few months before Floyd's death? Let us know in the comment section below.
[Via]
