Lawyer wants federal probe of why Mississippi police waited months to tell a mom her son was killed
A civil rights attorney says he will ask the U.S. Justice Department to investigate why authorities in Jackson, Mississippi, waited months to tell a woman that her son had been struck and killed by a police SUV driven by an off-duty officer.
HBCU president lauds students, officer for stopping Jacksonville killer before racist store attack
The president of the historically Black institution in Jacksonville, Florida, says a campus security officer tipped off by observant students likely stopped the killer who fatally shot three people at a nearby Dollar General Store from carrying out his racist attack at Edward Waters University.
Lawsuits filed by ex-volleyball player and former football player against Northwestern University
The hazing scandal at Northwestern University has widened to include a volleyball player who has become the first female athlete to sue the university over allegations she was retaliated against for reporting mistreatment and a new lawsuit by former Northwestern quarterback Lloyd Yates.
‘Release the video:’ Ben Crump, family of man fatally shot by Orlando police demand bodycam
The family of Derek Diaz, along with attorneys Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson, held a news conference Saturday in Orlando to demand the release of body-worn camera video recorded in Diaz’s fatal shooting by police.
Tyre Nichols’ family sues Memphis police over beating, death
The family of Tyre Nichols, who died after a brutal beating by five Memphis police officers, sued the officers and the city of Memphis, blaming them for his death and accusing officials of allowing a special unit’s aggressive tactics to go unchecked despite warning signs.
Attorneys liken Tyre Nichols' arrest to Rodney King beating
Attorneys for the family of a Black motorist who died after a violent encounter with Memphis police say officers beat Tyre Nichols for three minutes in a “savage” encounter reminiscent of the infamous 1991 police beating of Los Angeles motorist Rodney King.
‘He was a star:’ Attorneys, family of 14-year-old boy who fatally fell from Orlando FreeFall mark his birthday
Attorney Ben Crump and the family of a 14-year-old boy who died after falling from an Orlando thrill ride in March held a news conference to mark what would have been the teen’s 15th birthday.
Attorneys Ben Crump, Bob Hilliard hired by family of teen who fell to his death from Orlando thrill ride
Attorneys Ben Crump and Bob Hilliard have been hired on retainer to represent the family of Tyre Sampson, 14, who fell to his death Thursday night from the Orlando Free Fall at ICON Park, according to a news release from Ben Crump Law and Hilliard Martinez Gonzales.
Attorneys Ben Crump, Bob Hilliard hired by family of teen who fell to his death from Orlando thrill ride
Attorneys Ben Crump and Bob Hilliard have been hired on retainer to represent the family of Tyre Sampson, 14, who fell to his death Thursday night from the Orlando Free Fall at ICON Park, according to a news release.
Floyd family, leaders hold prayer service on eve of trial
Bystander video of the confrontation is expected to be a key exhibit at trial, with opening statements set for Monday, March 29, 2021. (Hennepin County Sheriff's Office via AP, File)MINNEAPOLIS – National civil rights leaders appeared alongside several family members of George Floyd at a prayer service Sunday night, hours before opening statements were set to begin in the murder trial of the former Minneapolis police officer charged in his death. Several dozen attendees congregated in the benches at Greater Friendship Missionary Church, where preachers led worship, a choir sang and members of George Floyd's family were joined by the Rev. The speakers called for justice in George Floyd's death, mirroring the words spoken by leaders during a protest earlier Sunday in downtown Minneapolis. George Floyd, who was Black, was declared dead on May 25 after Chauvin, who is white, pressed his knee on George Floyd’s neck for about nine minutes while George Floyd was handcuffed and pleading that he couldn’t breathe.
Lawsuit alleges racial profiling in cellphone confrontation
Keyon Harrold and his son were allegedly racially profiled in an Arlo hotel in Manhattan by Miya Ponsetto in December 2020. Ponsetto wrongly accused Keyon Harrold Jr. of stealing her phone and physically attacking him. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)NEW YORK – The family of a Black teenager who was falsely accused of stealing a woman's cellphone in a New York City hotel last December filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that the woman and the hotel engaged in racial profiling. A video of Ponsetto’s confrontation with the then-14-year-old was recorded and posted online by his father, jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold. Ad“Defendants treated Plaintiffs differently from other guests and invitees in a place of public accommodation because of their race,” the lawsuit states.
In Louisville, Breonna Taylor’s family honors her legacy
(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)LOUISVILLE, Ky. – On the one-year anniversary of Breonna Taylor's death, the slain Black woman's family continued their call for justice as hundreds of demonstrators gathered in downtown Louisville on Saturday. In a tweet Saturday, President Joe Biden called Taylor's death “a tragedy, a blow to her family, her community, and America." Police had a no-knock warrant but said they knocked and announced their presence before entering Taylor’s apartment, a claim some witnesses have disputed. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, tweeted a statement in support of Taylor's family, including her mother, Tamika Palmer. “Today we remember Breonna Taylor, her tragic and unnecessary loss and the immense work we have ahead of us,” he said.
Minneapolis to pay $27M to settle George Floyd family lawsuit
FILE - In this Feb. 8, 2021 file photo, A mural of George Floyd is seen in George Floyd Square in Minneapolis. “This makes a statement that George Floyd deserved better than what we witnessed on May 25, 2020, that George Floyd’s life mattered, and that by extension, Black lives matter.”Ad“Even though my brother is not here, he's here with me in my heart,” Philonise Floyd said. Floyd’s death sparked sometimes violent protests in Minneapolis and beyond and led to a national reckoning on racial justice. “I just want you to know how deeply we are with you,” she said to Floyd's family members. ___Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
Activists seek laws after officer cleared in Blake shooting
A police officer shot Blake in the back multiple times after responding to a domestic dispute on Aug. 23, 2020. On Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2021, a Wisconsin prosecutor declined to file criminal charges against the officer who shot Blake. After the Aug. 23 shooting that left Blake paralyzed, the decision on whether to charge Rusten Sheskey came down to a familiar question: Was the Kenosha officer justified in using force to protect himself? Those included requiring body cameras and dashcams, a standard protocol for independent investigations and an easy-to-access database of disciplinary actions. The city had planned to acquire body cameras in 2022, but after Blake's shooting, that timetable was sped up to put the cameras in use this year.
Gregory Edwards’ family sues West Melbourne officers who arrested combat veteran before his death
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The family of Gregory Edwards filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking punitive damages against the West Melbourne police officers who arrested the combat veteran leading up to his death in the Brevard County Jail. The City of West Melbourne is also listed as a defendant in the civil suit. Edwards was arrested a day earlier by West Melbourne police outside a retail store for allegedly assaulting a charity worker. The lawsuit lists Edwards’ episode as a serious medical emergency requiring immediate treatment that he did not receive under the care of authorities. Edwards later got into a confrontation with deputies while at the Brevard County Jail.
’Why was the first thing to shoot?’ Community mourns Cocoa teens killed in deputy-involved shooting
COCOA, Fla. – The families of two Cocoa teenagers are grieving and demanding answers after both died last week in a deputy-involved shooting in Cocoa. Despite the release of the deputy’s names and some video, the community held a rally and vigil for the teens in Cocoa on Wednesday, demanding more transparency from the sheriff. Family and community members came out Nov. 18, 2020 in Cocoa to hold a vigil for two teens killed in a deputy-involved shooting. (Image: Jerry Askin/WKMG) (WKMG 2020)Family of both teens have hired notable civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent them. The Sheriff’s Office is still investigating whether the vehicle the teens were in was the suspected stolen vehicle.
Sheriff: Brevard deputy ‘forced to fire,’ fatally shooting 2 teens in car
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey says one of his deputies was “forced to fire” on a car in a Cocoa neighborhood, fatally shooting a 16-year-old and 18-year-old last week. The sheriff’s office didn’t confirm the deaths of 18-year-old Sincere Pierce and 16-year-old Angelo “AJ” Crooms until Monday. The sheriff’s office declined to identify the deputies involved and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement also declined, saying that would need to come from the sheriff’s office. [RELATED: Civil rights attorney Ben Crump representing families of teens killed in Brevard deputy shooting]Investigators said the vehicle was first observed at Clearlake Road and Dixon Boulevard and moments later in the area of Ivy Street. According to the Ivey, Santiago-Miranda has been employed with the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office since February 2017, Hendren has been employed with the sheriff’s office since June 2018.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump representing families of teens killed in Brevard deputy shooting
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – The families of two teens killed in a deputy-involved shooting in Brevard County have secured a notable civil rights attorney to represent them. The Brevard County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Monday that 18-year-old Pierce and 16-year-old Crooms died Nov. 13 during a deputy-involved shooting in a Cocoa neighborhood. Cocoa police and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement were at the scene, but despite the heavy law enforcement presence, little information about the incident and what led up to it has been released. [WATCH: Brevard deputy fatally shoots 2 teens, officials offer few details about what led to gunfire]“These parents are heartbroken, as any parents would be. The shooting is under FDLE investigation, which is standard protocol when a law enforcement officer uses deadly force.
Family demands release of evidence in Breonna Taylor's case
Earlier, Taylor's lawyers and family expressed dismay that no one has been held accountable for her death. The grand jury indicted one officer on endangerment charges, saying he fired gunshots into a neighboring home that didn't strike anyone. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but prosecutors and Grand Jury members are bound by the facts and by the law,” spokeswoman Elizabeth Kuhn said in a statement. As Taylor’s family decried how the case was handled, a man accused of shooting and wounding two officers during protests Wednesday appeared in court. ___This story has been updated to correct that the officer charged by the grand jury is accused of firing into a neighboring apartment, not more than one.
1 officer indicted in Breonna Taylor case, but not for her death
The only charges were three counts of wanton endangerment against fired Officer Brett Hankison for shooting into a home next to Taylor's with people inside. Taylor, an emergency medical worker, was shot multiple times by white officers who entered her home during a narcotics investigation. State Attorney General Daniel Cameron said that while the officers had a no-knock warrant, the investigation showed they announced themselves before entering. "This justification bars us from pursuing criminal charges in Miss Breonna Taylor’s death.”Cameron said an FBI crime lab determined that Cosgrove fired the bullet that killed Taylor. ___This story has been updated to clarify that, according to the investigation, officers did not execute the warrant as a no-knock warrant, not that they didn’t use a no-knock warrant.
Police reforms in Breonna Taylor case praised, scrutinized
Tamika Palmer, Breonna Taylor's mother, in white beside Attorney Ben Crump, left, speak in Louisville, Ky., after settlement was announced. (AP Photo/Dylan Lovan)LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A settlement between the family of Breonna Taylor and the city of Louisville could bring wide-ranging reforms to how police officers live and work, changes that would represent a rare outcome in a police misconduct lawsuit. And a legal expert noted that even the most wide-ranging of reforms won't succeed if the people entrusted with implementing them aren't onboard. The city of Louisville passed a new law earlier this year, named after Taylor, that bans the use of no-knock warrants. Tamika Mallory is among numerous activists in Louisville who say police reforms will be meaningless if the officers involved in Taylor's death aren't charged.
Grandmother suing Disney World after CBD oil arrest files to move case to federal court
ORLANDO, Fla. – A grandmother who was arrested outside Walt Disney World after having CBD oil on property is suing the theme park company -- and she’s taking her case to federal court. Hester Burkhalter, 69, was arrested in April 2019 after Disney security found a bottle of CBD oil while searching her purse at a security checkpoint. She has since filed a lawsuit against Walt Disney World, with her team of attorneys requesting to move the case out of the Ninth Judicial Circuit in Orange County and move it to a higher court. In the suit, Burkhalter is alleging assault and battery, false arrest and imprisonment and defamation and emotional distress, according to Crump’s law firm. CBD oil is extracted from the flowers of marijuana plants, but it doesn’t produce a high.
Absent details, police shooting narratives seek to distract
Authorities have been reluctant to release even the most basic information about the incident or details about the white officer who shot Blake seven times in the back. They shot my son seven times seven times, like he didnt matter, Blakes father, Jacob Blake Sr., said. In 2014, for example, a union spokesman rushed to the scene where a white Chicago officer fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. As for the shooting itself, authorities, citing the need to protect the integrity of the investigation, have raised far more questions than they've answered. Instead, he said a knife was found after the shooting on the drivers side floorboard of the SUV.
Grandmother sues Disney World for millions after CBD oil arrest
ORLANDO, Fla. – A grandmother who was arrested outside Walt Disney World is suing the happiest place on earth with the help of a well-known attorney. Hester Burkhalter, 69, was arrested in April after Disney security found a bottle of CBD oil while searching her purse at a security checkpoint. CBD oil is extracted from the flowers of marijuana plants, but it doesn’t produce a high. The grandmother added that she was humiliated because the officers allegedly made her strip down at the jail to be searched. [RELATED: Charges dropped against great-grandma with CBD oil at Disney World]In May, all charges against the grandmother were dropped after prosecutors said that the case against Burkhalter wasn’t suitable for prosecution.
Floyd family sues Minneapolis officers charged in his death
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump wears a face mask with the words "Where's the love?" after announcing Wednesday, July 15, 2020 in Minneapolis the filing of a civil lawsuit against the city of Minneapolis and the officers involved in the death of George Floyd. Floyd died at the hands of police during an arrest on Memorial Day. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Floyd family to announce lawsuit against Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS Attorneys for George Floyd's family plan to announce a lawsuit Wednesday against the city of Minneapolis and the police officers who are charged in his death. Attorney Ben Crump planned a late-morning news conference in Minneapolis to detail the lawsuit. Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. Floyd's death also sparked calls to abolish the Minneapolis Police Department and replace it with a new public safety department. According to documents in state probate court, Floyd is survived by 11 known heirs, including five children and six siblings.
‘Timothy couldn’t breathe:‘ Attorney Ben Crump compares 2018 South Daytona death to George Floyd
Crump, a civil rights attorney, has represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and George Floyd. “We want her to get justice for her son, there’s no excuse for what happened to Timothy Coffman no excuse. “Like George Floyd, Timothy Coffman screamed out for him. Like George Floyd, Timothy Coffman had the police officer put his knee in his neck for four minutes until he lost consciousness. “And like George Floyd, the police in South Daytona did not obey him any dignity, nor did they offer him any respect, nor did they offer him any humanity.
Protests turn subdued after new charges in Floyd case
The most serious new charge Wednesday was an accusation of second-degree murder against Derek Chauvin, who was caught on video pressing his knee to Floyds neck. The three other officers at the scene were charged for the first time with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Protests were still big, but largely peaceful in California, where NBA stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson marched with protesters in Oakland. The new second-degree murder charge alleges that Chauvin caused Floyds death without intent while committing another felony, namely third-degree assault. The protests have also taken root overseas, including in Athens, London, Helsinki, Rotterdam and Bogota, among other cities.