Justice Dept. moves to cancel police reform settlements reached with Minneapolis

U.S. Supreme Court News

The Justice Department moved Wednesday to cancel a settlement with Minneapolis that called for an overhaul of its police department following the murder of George Floyd, as well as a similar agreement with Louisville, Kentucky, saying it doesn’t want to pursue the cases.

Following a scathing report by the Justice Department in 2023, Minneapolis in January approved a consent decree with the federal government in the final days of the Biden administration to overhaul its training and use-of-force policies under court supervision.

The agreement required approval from a federal court in Minnesota. But the Trump administration was granted a delay soon after taking office while it considered its options, and on Wednesday told the court it does not intend to proceed. It planned to file a similar motion in federal court in Kentucky.

“After an extensive review by current Department of Justice and Civil Rights Division leadership, the United States no longer believes that the proposed consent decree would be in the public interest,” said the Minnesota motion, signed by Andrew Darlington, acting chief of the special litigation section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The United States will no longer prosecute this matter.”

The Justice Department announced its decision just before the five-year anniversary of the murder of George Floyd. Then-officer Derek Chauvin used his knee on May 25, 2020, to pin the Black man to the pavement for 9 1/2 minutes in a case that sparked protests around the world and a national reckoning with racism and police brutality.

However, no immediate changes are expected to affect the Minneapolis Police Department, which is operating under a similar consent decree with the Minnesota Human Rights Department.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara reiterated at a news conference Tuesday that his department would abide by the terms of the federal agreement as it was signed, regardless of what the Trump administration decided.

The city in 2023 reached a settlement agreement with the state Human Rights Department to remake policing, under court supervision, after the agency issued a blistering report in 2022 that found that police had long engaged in a pattern of racial discrimination.

Related listings

  • Supreme Court could block Trump’s birthright citizenship order

    Supreme Court could block Trump’s birthright citizenship order

    U.S. Supreme Court News 05/15/2025

    The Supreme Court seemed intent Thursday on keeping a block on President Donald Trump’s restrictions on birthright citizenship while looking for a way to scale back nationwide court orders.It was unclear what such a decision might look like, bu...

  • Court allows Trump ban on transgender military members to take effect

    Court allows Trump ban on transgender military members to take effect

    U.S. Supreme Court News 05/04/2025

    The Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to enforce a ban on transgender people in the military, while legal challenges proceed.The court acted in the dispute over a policy that presumptively disqualifies tra...

  • Judge to weigh Louisiana AG’s challenge to city jail’s ‘sanctuary’ policy

    Judge to weigh Louisiana AG’s challenge to city jail’s ‘sanctuary’ policy

    U.S. Supreme Court News 05/01/2025

    Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill is pushing forward with her efforts to force Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson to drop a longtime policy that generally prohibits deputies from directly engaging in federal immigration enforcement within the c...

The Law Offices of John M. Lynch, LLC - Our goal is to serve you and make your experience a pleasant one

Our firm founder John M. Lynch is a proven trial lawyer with a record of success in state and federal courts. His former service as a police investigator and federal drug task force agent enable him to see a case from all sides. He is routinely hired by other attorneys to assist with criminal cases. His peer recognition is also evident in the recognition that he has earned with Top 100 Trial Lawyers, AV Preeminent Rating and Super Lawyers. He has also been named as one of the Best Attorneys in St. Louis, a Rising Star in Missouri and a Rising Star in Kansas. His unique and broad -based experience has led to unparalleled success that include dismissal of charges, acquittal and markedly beneficial settlements.

Attorney John M. Lynch comes from a strong law enforcement background with a decade of experience as a police investigator and federal drug task force agent. Paired with his legal degree from St. Louis University School of Law, Mr. Lynch provides a unique and candid perspective for people charged with a full range of criminal activities.