Mpls. to pay $3M settlement for man's death

The Minneapolis City Council Friday approved a settlement of more than $3 million in the 2010 case of a man who died after being restrained by police officers.

According to court documents David Smith, 28, was acting erratically at the downtown YMCA. Two police officers responded to a call from employees at the gym and after a struggle, placed Smith on his stomach with his hands cuffed behind him. Documents also say one of the officers continually drove his knee into Smith's back which made it hard for him to breathe. Officers called for medical assistance when they noticed Smith had stopped breathing. Smith was revived but died about a week later without gaining consciousness.

A statement from Minneapolis police chief Janee Harteau, who was not the chief at the time of the incident, expressed sympathy for Smith's family and said, "in any situation where police must restrain someone, there can be unintended results."