Derek Chauvin (Minnesota DOC mug shot), Donald Williams tears up at Chauvin’s trial when testifying about George Floyd’s death (Law&Crime Network)
An MMA fighter who called 911 and said “I believe I witnessed a murder” after George Floyd’s 2020 death and went on to testify against former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin at trial appears to have reached a tentative settlement in an emotional distress lawsuit he filed nearly one year ago.
The news of the potential settlement between Donald Williams and the City of Minneapolis was first reported by WCCO. The local CBS affiliate explained that the Minneapolis City Council is expected to vote on whether or not to settle the May 2023 lawsuit on April 25, just over three weeks from now.
Williams was allowed to testify, over the defense’s objection, at Chauvin’s murder trial about what he saw on May 25, 2020.
The college wrestler and trained MMA fighter, the defense argued at the time, should have been prevented from testifying “as to his training, experience and/or expertise in mixed martial arts, boxing or other training on the grounds that it is irrelevant and overly prejudicial.”
Judge Peter Cahill ultimately decided that Williams could not offer “a medical opinion” but could speak to the “blood choke” hold that, based on his training, he said Chauvin placed Floyd in.
During his testimony, Williams teared up on the stand as he heard the 911 call he made that day.
“Officer 987 killed a citizen in front of a Chicago [Avenue] store,” Williams said on the call. “He just pretty much killed this guy that wasn’t resisting arrest. He had his knee on the dude’s neck the whole time. Officer 987. The man went and stopped breathing. He wasn’t resisting arrest or nothing. He was already in handcuffs. They pretty much just killed that dude. I don’t even know if he’s dead for sure, but he was not responsive when the ambulance came and got him.”
Williams, the man heard on video at the scene calling Chauvin a “f—ing bum,” was grilled by the defense about this remark and others.
Chauvin lawyer Eric Nelson, for instance, asked Williams if he remembered saying, “I dare you to touch me like that. I swear I’ll slap the fuck out of both of you.”
“Yeah, I did,” the witness answered. “I meant it.”
“So, again, sir,” Nelson followed up, “It’s fair to say that you grew angrier and angrier.”
“I stayed in my body. You can’t paint me out to be angry,” the witness replied.
Chauvin went on to be convicted of state murder charges in April 2021 and federal civil rights violations in May 2022, leading to two decades of incarceration.
In late August 2022, Donald Williams was accused of choking his ex-girlfriend and hitting her in the face after an argument. The assault charge was reportedly dropped in September 2023 in the face of “serious evidentiary challenges.” But Williams reportedly admitted to violating a no-contact order.
Last November, Chauvin was stabbed 22 times in prison, allegedly by a fellow inmate who was once an FBI informant.
The suspect allegedly explained that the Black Friday stabbing was a symbolic choice. Chauvin survived and returned to prison.
Law&Crime reached out to the City of Minneapolis for comment on the reported settlement agreement.
Marisa Sarnoff and Alberto Luperon contributed to this report.
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