George Floyd’s family sues Kanye West for $250M after rapper disputes cause of death
The parents of Michael Brown’s slain 17-year-old son, Michael Brown Jr., are suing Kanye West over his comments on the shooting, calling them inciting and suggesting that Brown was the aggressor.
The family’s attorney, Charles J. Cooper, said in a statement on Thursday that, “With this statement from Kanye West, we have learned that the facts of the case are clearly and incontrovertibly beyond any reasonable doubt. Michael Brown Jr. was not the aggressor in this situation. He was attacked by Robert McCulloch, an unarmed teen of the same age who used a Taser to subdue Michael Brown, before turning the officer’s gun on himself. Michael Brown Jr.’s crime was committing an illegal act that led to the death of another human being.
“The world is waiting for some accountability from the person who used the word ‘n*****’ on television and then used the same word to characterize [Brown’s] dead son. He owes it to [Brown Jr.] and his family to issue a statement of apology, to offer help and to help prevent any similar tragedy from happening again. Kanye West should apologize to Michael Brown Jr. for his comments or, at the very least, issue an expression of regret and a public apology. If [West] doesn’t, Mr. Cooper expects the family of the officer to sue him for defamation of character and infliction of emotional distress. We believe that Kanye West is a friend and an ally of the Brown family, and we look forward to a just outcome, which we hope can be reached soon.”
The suit is the latest in a string of similar lawsuits against West that have been brought by the family of young black men who have died at the hands of police. In May, a similar suit was settled in which the families of Eric Garner and Michael Brown agreed to pay $5.9 million to buy time to investigate police and civil remedies.
In the suit filed last month, Michael Brown Sr. and his wife, Lesley McSpadden, say West “made statements that were completely and utterly inconsistent with, and contrary to” the facts. They’re seeking damages for wrongful death, as well as punitive and emotional damages.
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