Malcolm X’s family has filed a $100 million wrongful death lawsuit against the NYPD, state of New York, and federal agencies, alleging that the government concealed evidence in the murder of the activist.
Tuesday marked 58 years since the civil rights leader’s assassination. Per ABC 17, daughters Qubilah Shabazz, age 62, and Ilyasah Shabazz, 60, appeared at a news conference alongside attorney Ben Crump to give a “formal notice” of the legal action. The broadcast occurred at the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Education Center located in NYC. It was previously known as the Audubon Ballroom, where Malcolm X was murdered on Feb. 21, 1965.
The lawsuit is filed against the city of New York, the state, the New York Police Department, district attorney offices, the FBI, CIA, and other government agencies, according to CBS News.
In 2021, a $36 million settlement was reached due to the wrongful conviction of two men who were denounced from the case, Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam. In the court hiring, Judge Ellen Biben said,” I regret that this court cannot undo the serious miscarriage of justice. There can be no question that this is a case that cries out for fundamental justice.”
Ben Crump referred back to a multi-million dollar settlement for the two men, saying, “The rhetorical question is this: if the government compensated the two gentlemen that were wrongfully convicted for the assassination of Malcolm X with tens of millions of dollars, then what is to be the compensation for the daughters who suffered the most from the assassination of Malcolm X?”
Crump continued, “We intend to have vigorous litigation of this matter, to have discovery to be able to take depositions of the individuals who are still alive, 58 years later, to make sure that some measure of justice can be given to Malcolm X’s daughters. The truth of what happened and who was involved has always been critical.”
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