MINNEAPOLIS — The city of Minneapolis has opted to pay $600,000 to resolve a lawsuit brought by a woman who accused former Officer Derek Chauvin of using excessive force during an incident in January 2020, similar to the actions he took later that year when he killed George Floyd.
Patty Day, who previously worked in the Public Works Department, filed her lawsuit last May, claiming she had been wrongfully arrested and subjected to excessive force. On the evening of January 17, 2020, Day admitted she was inebriated and dealing with emotional distress due to her impending divorce when she got her minivan stuck in the snow for several hours.
When Chauvin and Officer Ellen Jensen responded to the scene, the lawsuit contended that the officers “violently yanked” Day from her vehicle and forced her to the ground, leading to multiple injuries.
The complaint described how Chauvin adopted his notorious maneuver, pressing his knee into Day’s back while she was subdued and handcuffed—echoing his later actions that led to Floyd’s death. A subsequent charge of driving under the influence against Day was later dismissed when a judge found that the officers lacked sufficient probable cause for the arrest and suppressed the evidence of her blood alcohol content.
On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved the settlement, with Council member LaTrisha Vetaw stating that $175,000 will be allocated to Day and $425,000 will go to her legal representatives.
To date, the city has expended over $36 million in settling cases related to police misconduct involving Chauvin, which includes a significant $27 million payout to Floyd’s family.
“While no settlement can erase what Patty experienced, we are pleased to have reached an agreement that seeks some form of accountability for the officers involved,” stated Day’s attorney, Katie Bennett. She emphasized that this situation underscores the urgent need for reform and justice in policing practices.
Derek Chauvin, a white former officer, is currently serving time in a federal prison in Texas following his conviction for Floyd
