Star witness and MMA fighter who tried to intervene in George Floyd’s killing reaches $150K settlement with city over his PTSD

The Minneapolis City Council has agreed to pay a $150,000 settlement to an eyewitness who tried to intervene in the killing of George Floyd and claims he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result.

Donald Williams, a mixed martial arts fighter who testified against former officer Derek Chauvin in his 2021 murder trial, sued the city last spring, claiming he was attacked by police while trying to prevent Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020 .

The council unanimously approved the settlement without discussion, The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.

The lawsuit alleges that Chauvin looked directly at Williams, grabbed a canister of chemical spray and began shaking it at him and other bystanders, who expressed concern for Floyd’s well-being.

In a video played during Chauvin’s trial, Williams can be heard urging Chauvin to get off Floyd and denouncing the officer as a “bum.”

Floyd was killed by Chauvin after being placed under arrest in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, on suspicion of using a counterfeit $20 bill

Protesters held up portraits of George Floyd and signs calling for ‘justice for George’ outside the trial of police officer Derek Chauvin

Paul, a volunteer, cleans ‘George Floyd Square’, the place where George Floyd died in police custody in May 2020

Floyd’s death sparked protests worldwide and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism. Many murals have also been painted as a tribute

Former officer Tou Thao then approached Williams and placed a hand on his chest, the lawsuit said.

Williams told the jury in Chauvin’s trial that the officer shot Floyd what MMA fighters call a “blood choke,” restricting his circulation.

“The officer at the top was staggering to actually get the final choke while he was at the top, the kill choke,” Williams told Assistant Minnesota Attorney General Matthew Frank during the direct examination of Chauvin’s trial.

Williams said he watched Floyd disappear like a fish in a bag.

He said, ‘You can see his eyes slowly turning pale and he knew… he said it, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, you could see the blood coming out of his nose, he said his stomach hurt and from then on moment he was lifeless. He didn’t say anything.’

Based on his experience, Williams said what he saw was a “kill choke,” which cut off Floyd’s circulation in his neck.

As a result of the officers’ actions, Williams alleged in his lawsuit, he feared for his safety and endured pain, suffering, humiliation, shame and medical expenses as a result of witnessing the incident.

In April 2021, Chauvin was found guilty of Floyd’s murder and is serving a 22 and a half year prison sentence in Minnesota.

A makeshift memorial for Floyd at the site of his fatal arrest in May 2020

Floyd, who was Black, died on May 25, 2020, after Chauvin, who is white, knelt on his neck for nine and a half minutes outside a convenience store where Floyd had tried to pass a counterfeit $20 bill.

Bystander video captured Floyd’s trailing cry of “I can’t breathe.”

Floyd’s death sparked protests worldwide and forced a national reckoning with police brutality and racism.

Chauvin was convicted of state murder in Floyd’s death and was sentenced to 22 and a half years.

He also pleaded guilty to a separate federal charge of violating Floyd’s civil rights.

Thao and two other former officers involved are serving shorter sentences.