MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The City of Minneapolis is set to pay out another $1 million-plus in worker's compensation to former MPD officers.
The payments for seven former police officers and one former firefighter will go before a Minneapolis City Council committee next week. The next round of payments follows another $1 million payout to officers earlier this month, which put the total payouts to at $28 million since the unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd.
Among the payouts set to be heard on the city's Policy and Government Oversight Committee next Monday will be former Sgt. Andrew Bittell, who was among the officers involved in the arrest of Jaleel Stallings. Bittell worked to cuff Stallings' as he was repeatedly struck by Officer Justin Stetson. Bittell ordered Stetson to stop striking Stallings but later was caught on video lying about the incident, saying Stallings had resisted arrest.
Officers had fired less-lethal ammunition at a group of people including Stallings along Lake Street during the unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd. Stallings had returned fire, not realizing he was shooting at police officers in an unmarked van. Stallings was charged for the incident but ultimately acquitted by a jury and later received a $1.5 million settlement from the city.
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Stetson was later charged and pled guilty for his role in the assault. Bittell did not face charges for his role in the arrest.
Before the beating, Bittell can also be heard on bodycam video telling his officers: "We’re rolling down Lake Street, the first f**rs we see, we’re just hammering them with 40s."