Minneapolis to Pay $600,000 to Settle Lawsuit with Woman Who Claims Derek Chauvin Knelt on Her Neck

 Patty Day, who was previously employed by the Public Works Department, alleged in a lawsuit filed last May that she experienced excessive force and was wrongfully arrested.

Derek Chauvin in court in Minneapolis in 2021.

Feb. 2, 2025, 6:47 AM GMT+6 

MINNEAPOLIS — 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 using excessive force during an arrest in January 2020, an incident that mirrored his actions months later when he killed George Floyd.

Patty Day, who worked for the Public Works Department, alleged in the lawsuit filed in May that she was subjected to excessive force and wrongfully arrested. Day admitted to being intoxicated on the evening of January 17, 2020, and dealing with personal issues, including an impending divorce, when she became stuck in the snow for hours.

Chauvin and his partner that night, Officer Ellen Jensen, responded to the scene. The lawsuit claims that the officers “violently yanked” Day from her minivan and slammed her to the ground, causing injuries.

“Chauvin then assumed his signature posture, pressing his knee into Patty’s back while she was handcuffed and subdued — just as he would later do to George Floyd, resulting in Floyd’s death — and kept his knee there long after Patty was under control,” the complaint stated. A charge of drunken driving was eventually dropped when a judge ruled the officers lacked probable cause for the arrest and suppressed the blood alcohol test evidence.

The Minneapolis City Council approved the $600,000 settlement on Thursday, with a unanimous vote. Council member LaTrisha Vetaw shared that $175,000 will go to Day, while her legal team will receive $425,000. This brings the total amount the city has paid to settle police misconduct cases involving Chauvin to over $36 million, including $27 million to the family of George Floyd.

“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 highlights the urgent need for justice and reform in policing.”

Chauvin, who is white, is currently serving a sentence in federal prison in Texas for the murder of George Floyd and for violating Floyd’s civil rights. Floyd's death ignited a nationwide movement calling for racial justice.