A Minnesota county settled a racial discrimination lawsuit involving eight correctional officers of color and Derek Chauvin the ex-Minneapolis officer convicted of killing George Floyd.
The lawsuit alleged the former Ramsey County Adult Detention Center superintendent blocked the eight minority officers from guarding and interacting with Derek Chauvin after he was arrested in 2020. The officers, who identify as African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander American and multiracial say the superintendent, Steve Lydon segregated them by reassigning them to different floors.
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The lawsuit also accused a white lieutenant of giving Chauvin special treatment. On Tuesday, Ramsey County approved a nearly $1.5 million settlement for the eight officers.
Lydon reportedly told his superiors that he made the decision “to protect and support” the minority employees by keeping them away from the convicted cop, according to USA Today.
Board Chairwoman Trista MatasCastillo apologized in a statement “for the trauma you experienced and the ongoing harm this racist incident caused.”
“The actions taken by the Sheriff’s Office leadership that day were more than just wrong, they were racist, heinous, highly disrespectful and completely out of line with Ramsey County’s vision and values,” she said. “No one ever should have questioned your ability to perform your job based on the color of your skin.”
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