The family of George Floyd has announced plans to sue Kanye West for $250 million, following his false claims about the death of the African-American killed by police officer Derek Chauvin.
During an appearance on the Drink Champs podcast this weekend, the controversial rapper claimed that George Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose and therefore was not killed by the former police officer during an arrest in May 2020. Derek Chauvin was convicted in 2021 and sentenced to 22 years in prison.
On Tuesday, October 18, Roxie Washington, the mother of George Floyd’s daughter, announced, via her lawyers, to file a lawsuit against Kanye West and his associates for $ 250 million in damages on behalf of her daughter, for “harassment, defamation and emotional suffering”.
Lawyers for George Floyd’s family say Kanye West’s “blatantly false statements” had an equally damaging effect on his family and daughter.
“The best interests of the child come first,” attorney Nuru Witherspoon said in a statement. George Floyd’s daughter is once again traumatized by Kanye West’s comments and he creates a dangerous and unhealthy environment for her.
Another attorney, Pat D. Dixon, III, added: “Kanye’s comments are a repugnant attempt to downplay George Floyd’s life and profit from his inhumane death. We will hold Mr. West accountable for his blatant remarks against Mr. Floyd’s memory. »
In the announcement, the legal representatives revealed that they had sent the rapper a formal notice following his remarks. They also accused him of professing “malicious lies” to “promote his brands, increase his market value” and “profit from Mr. Floyd’s horrific death and the trauma of his family.”
While fentanyl was found in George Floyd’s body, forensic pathologists concluded that the death was due to the pressure exerted by the officer’s knee on the African-American’s neck for more than nine minutes while he was face down, causing a “cardiopulmonary arrest”. In 2021, Derek Chauvin was convicted of murder.
The episode of Drink Champs with Kanye West has since been removed from YouTube and Revolt TV and co-host N.O.R.E. has apologized for giving a platform to the rapper’s racist, anti-Semitic and conspiracy remarks.
