Connect with us

Ben Crump

The families of George Floyd and Daunte Wright hold an emotional press conference in Minneapolis

Published

on

Photo of Ben Crump (right), Katie Wright (center), Daunte Wright’s mother Chyna Whitaker, Daunte Wright’s girlfriend (left) and their son Daunte Wright Jr. by Kerem Yucel

Advertisement

As snowstorms swirled under gray April skies, the families of George Floyd, Daunte Wright and other Black individuals who lost their lives in police-involved killings held an emotional news conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and dozens of relatives, activists, community members and media gathered outside the Hennepin County Courthouse on a chilly Tuesday. As family members spoke one after the other, there have been tears, prayers, anger and demands for justice. Remarks were often followed by anguished cries of “Say his name!” and “Black Lives Matter!”

In the third week of the trial of Derek Chauvin, the previous Minneapolis police officer charged in George Floyd’s death in May 2020, the region was once more rocked by the fatal police shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright. The incident took place on Sunday, April 11, in Brooklyn Center, a suburb of Minneapolis.

Advertisement

Wright was reportedly stopped by police for a minor traffic violation. During the arrest, bodycam footage showed the boy’s young father being shot as he tried to flee.

“If there was ever a time when police should not kill anyone in America,” it was during one of the “harsh” trials in American history, Crump told the group. He and co-counsel Jeff Storms were retained by Wright’s family.

Katie Wright said her son called when the incident happened and he seemed scared. As she tried to calm him down, she heard shuffling. A friend who was in the automobile with Wright later broke the news to his mother that her son had died by sharing a cellphone photo. “I have not received any explanation since then,” she said.

Police officials have said publicly that Kim Potter, a 26-year law enforcement veteran, tried to achieve for her Taser but by chance fired it as a substitute. She has since resigned from her position, as has, amongst others, chief of the town police.

Advertisement

There have been protests and unrest in Brooklyn Center for several days, where the young black mayor, Mike Elliott, has promised an intensive investigation.

“We are united. We stand in solidarity,” said Toshira Garraway, founder of Families Supporting Families Against Police Violence, an advocacy group in Minnesota. “Enough is enough and we are getting up,” she said during a press conference.

To show solidarity, Deborah Watts, a relative of Emmett Till, also attended. The gruesome 1955 racially motivated murder of a Chicago teenager in Mississippi isn’t a thing of the past, she added. “We are tired and exhausted by terrorism against our families across the country.”

Jurors this week will now hear from the defense team for Chauvin, who faces charges of second- and third-degree murder and manslaughter.

Advertisement

Floyd, 46, died in police custody on May 25, 2020. The viral cellphone video shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for greater than nine minutes. Floyd, handcuffed and lying on the bottom, said, “I can’t breathe,” and called for his mother as Chauvin, 45, kept his hands in his pockets and didn’t render aid. He pleaded not guilty.

Floyd’s gruesome death sparked Black Lives Matter protests across the country and the world. Crump, together with co-counsel Antonio Romanucci, L. Chris Stewart and Chris Storms, form the legal team for Floyd’s family. In March, they settled a civil lawsuit with the town of Minneapolis for a historic $27 million.

Crump said Wright’s arrest by police throughout the pandemic, when many drivers had their IDs expired as a result of months of limited or no access to DMV vehicles, was an example of implicit bias. He said the difficulty stays particularly glaring for “marginalized” Americans.

“Daunte Wright is yet another young Black man killed at the hands of those who swore an oath to protect and serve all of us – not just the whitest among us,” Crump said in a press release provided to ESSENCE. “As Minneapolis and the rest of the country continue to grapple with the tragic murder of George Floyd, we must now also mourn the loss of this young man and father. This level of lethal force was completely preventable and inhumane.”

Advertisement

From civil rights organizations to the White House, this latest police-involved killing has stirred emotions. Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama said in a press release that that they had “heavy hearts” and that the country must “rethink policing and public safety.”

“Michelle and I join the Wright family in mourning their loss. We empathize with the pain that Black mothers, fathers and children feel after yet another senseless tragedy. We will continue to work with all honest Americans to confront historic inequities and bring about the nationwide change that is so long overdue.”

Karissa Lewis, national field director of the Movement for Black Lives, said in a press release: “Let’s say it again: there is no ‘reform’ of this system – it is time to abandon lethal policing and invest in a public safety vision that protects us all. We mourn with Daunte Wright’s family and community and will continue to fight to move away from systems of oppression in the pursuit of justice and Black liberation.”

The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Contractors (NOBLE) released a written statement noting Wright’s fatal traffic stop and the viral video of the incident involving Army 2nd Lt. Caron Nazario.

Advertisement

NOBLE said in part: “Even as police reforms are being implemented in many municipalities, as support for reforms grows, and as our nation finds itself in the center of a trial in the death of George Floyd, with evidence and heartbreaking witness testimony After reviewing the circumstances “His death continues to be an example of excessive use of force, a lack of transparency and understanding of incident-specific policing orders, and another unfortunate loss of life of a citizen of color.”

The statement continued: “When will police leadership and civic leaders stop having to explain the failures of those determined to disregard the principle of “serve and protect?”

As the families of George Floyd, Daunte Wright and countless others seek justice, Crump vowed to fight but lamented the present state of affairs.

“What will it take for law enforcement to stop killing people of color? The growing number of black men and women who have been killed or harmed by police is far too high a price to pay for the equality we seek.”

Advertisement

The Obama Foundation has an online portal where you may study issues, connect with local/national organizations, find resources on trauma and mental health, and/or take motion. click here for more information.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
Advertisement
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ben Crump

Jury Awards $ 310 million for teen parents who died after the fall from Florida entertainment – Essence

Published

on

By

Jury Awards $ 310 million for teen parents who died after the fall from Florida entertainment.

Sun Sentinel/Getty Images

Advertisement

The Tire Sampson family, a 14-12 months-old who tragically fell to death during a ride in the amusement park in Orlando, Florida in 2022, was awarded $ 310 million in a civil trial.

The tires, which visited Icon Park along with his family on March 24, 2022, fell out of the attractiveness of Freefall Drop Tower. Although he was taken to a close-by hospital, he didn’t survive his injuries.

Now, over two years later, the jury has aroused the Ride producer, Austria Punish Handels, responsible for the accident, granting the Tire family $ 310 million. According to reports from local information stations WFTV AND KSDKThe jury reached the verdict inside about the hour of the meeting.

Advertisement

According to the spokesman of the lawyer Michael Haggard, Tire’s parents will receive $ 155 million.

Lawyers Ben Crump and Natalie Jackson, who represented the Tire family, shared thoughts on a breakthrough decision through X (previously Twitter). “This verdict is a step forward in responsible corporations responsible for the safety of their products,” they said in an announcement.

Lawyers emphasized that Tire’s death was attributable to “gross neglect and lack of profit security priorities.” They added that the driving producer “neglected his duty to protect passengers”, and a big award ensures that “they will face the consequences of these decisions.”

Crump and Jackson expressed the hope that this result would encourage changes in the amusement park industry. “We hope that it serves as awakening the entire industry to enforce more severe security measures,” they said. “Tire’s heritage will be a safer future for riders around the world.”

Advertisement

The investigation previously revealed that the tire harness was closed at the time of riding, but slipped from the seat during the 430-meter drop when the magnets were involved. Tire’s death was recognized as the results of “many injuries and injuries.”

At that point, Icon Park said that “fully cooperates” with the authorities.

Advertisement
This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
Continue Reading

Ben Crump

Lawsuit Filed Against Johnson & Johnson Over Targeting Cancer-Related Products to Black Women – Group Alleges – Essence

Published

on

By

Getty

Advertisement

YesterdayBen Crump and Paul Napoli, nationally known civil rights and private injury lawyers, Ben Crump Law and Napoli Shkolnik, respectively, announced lawsuit on behalf of the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) v. Johnson & Johnson.

The lawsuit was filed over the corporate’s targeted marketing of talc-based baby powder specifically to black women, despite known links to ovarian cancer. “The complaint calls for corrective action to inform Black women and all other consumers about the risks of the products and their link to ovarian cancer,” the agency says Atlanta Daytime World.

Founded in 1935 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, NCNW mission “is to lead, support and empower women of African descent, their families and communities.” Many NCNW members staunchly used Johnson & Johnson powdered products, believing they were protected to use on themselves and their families.

Advertisement

Since at the least the Nineteen Eighties, some studies have shown that: to mix between using talc-based products and cancer. Regardless of this information, Johnson & Johnson deliberately selected to promote and advertise to black women as a vital a part of their business strategy. In fact, “Johnson & Johnson’s internal documents reveal the corporate’s intentions… The company’s 2009 marketing strategy noted that “the multicultural consumer [is] very essential to the business – need for retention” and expressed concern that “effectively retaining key consumers is becoming increasingly difficult” – within the criticism claims.

“This lawsuit affects the lives of our grandmothers, our mothers, our wives, sisters and daughters – all of whom were cynically targeted by Johnson and Johnson… All this time, the company’s management knew the risk of ovarian cancer associated with the use of talcum powder” – Crump he said. Co-counselor of Napoli he said Johnson & Johnson “puts profits over people by ignoring and concealing tons of research about risks.”

NCNW Executive Director Janice Mathis states “This company, through its words and images, told Black women that in our natural state we are offensive and that we must use their products to stay fresh… Generations of Black women believed them and made it our daily practice to use their products in ways that put us at risk cancer — and we taught our daughters the same. Shame on Johnson and Johnson.”

Advertisement

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
Continue Reading

Ben Crump

Trial of former police officer charged with George Floyd’s death underway in Minneapolis – Essence

Published

on

By

Photo: Kerem Yucel

Advertisement

Opening statements have begun in the criminal trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who’s charged with murder and other charges in connection with the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day.

Floyd, 46, died in police custody on May 25, 2020. A cellphone video that went viral shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds. Floyd, who was handcuffed and lying on the bottom, said, “I can’t breathe” and called out for his mother, while Chauvin, 45, kept his hands in his pockets and didn’t render aid.

Floyd’s gruesome death sparked Black Lives Matter protests across the country and world wide.

Advertisement

Chauvin has been charged with second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and manslaughter; he has pleaded not guilty. A jury was recently empaneled in the high-profile case. The jury is alleged to incorporate nine whites and 6 black and/or multiracial jurors. Two are alternates, and one could be dismissed to expand the jury pool to 12.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said in a press release to ESSENCE that he hopes “justice will be swift and clear.”

“The time has come for Derek Chauvin to be held accountable for the public hanging death of George Floyd,” Crump said. “The video, which has been viewed by millions of people around the world, makes it clear that this is a very clear case. The only reason some people think this is a complicated case is because George Floyd was a black man. If he were white, no one would say that his slow and painful death under Derek Chauvin’s knee was in any way misleading,” he said.

Crump, along with Antonio Romanucci, L. Chris Stewart and Jeff Storms, are co-attorneys representing Floyd’s family.

Advertisement

A team of civil lawyers reached a legal settlement with Minneapolis earlier this month for a historic $27 million.

“Since Mr. Floyd’s death less than a year ago, the city of Minneapolis has enacted sweeping police reforms, including reporting use of force incidents, requiring body cameras, and a policy for officers to de-escalate non-threatening encounters by retreating or walking away,” said attorney Antonio M. Romanucci.

Today, Floyd’s relatives, Pastor Al Sharpton, founder/president of the National Action Network, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, and supporters held a vigil, kneeling for eight minutes and 46 seconds. On Sunday, they held a rally for justice at Greater Friendship Missionary Church in Minneapolis.

In a press release, NAN said the organization is committed to fighting for justice for the Floyd family and opposing the “repeated, now sanctioned violence against Black people by police officers.”

Advertisement

“The world watched law enforcement officer Derek Chauvin lynch George Floyd with his knee as he repeatedly pleaded for mercy,” Sharpton said. “As the trial begins, we must reiterate that police lynchings will not be tolerated and that police accountability must be the law of the land. We urge the Senate to act immediately to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to ensure that law enforcement is never above the law.”

In addition, attorneys and the family have urged Minnesota lawmakers to pass laws that might strengthen the flexibility to carry officers accountable for his or her actions after they act outside the bounds of the law. The attorneys say the bill, which might overhaul a piece of Minnesota Statute, ought to be called The George Floyd Arbitration Reform Bill. It is an element of an ongoing series of police reform measures that Minnesota and Minneapolis are considering in the wake of Floyd’s death.

“George Floyd’s family and those who loved him endured unimaginable pain to get to this day. We hope jurors will allow the compelling evidence in this case to guide them,” said attorney L. Chris Stewart. “We also urge people in Minneapolis and everywhere to continue to express their support for Floyd’s family, but to do so peacefully.”

The process is anticipated to take no less than a month.

Advertisement

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending