The family of George Floyd have confirmed their intention to sue Kanye West for $250,000,000 over false statements the rapper made concerning Floyd’s death.
During his weekend appearance on Drink Champs, the ever-embattled musician incorrectly claimed that Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose instead of being murdered by former police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest in May 2020.
On Tuesday (10.18,) it was announced that Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd’s daughter, plans to sue West and his associates for $250 million in damages on her daughter’s behalf, on the grounds of harassment, misappropriation, defamation, and infliction of emotional distress.
While one cannot sue for defamation of a deceased person, Floyd’s family’s lawyers insist that West’s “blatantly false claims” about Floyd have had an equally detrimental effect on his family and offspring.
In a statement about the lawsuit, attorney Nuru Witherspoon said “The interests of the child are priority,” “George Floyd’s daughter is being retraumatized by Kanye West’s comments and he’s creating an unsafe and unhealthy environment for her.”
Fellow lawyer, Pat D. Dixon, III, added, “Kanye’s comments are a repugnant attempt to discount George Floyd’s life and to profit from his inhumane death. We will hold Mr. West accountable for his flagrant remarks against Mr. Floyd’s legacy.”
In the announcement, the legal representatives confirmed that they’d sent West a cease-and-desist letter over his remarks and also accused the hip-hop star of stating “malicious falsehoods” to promote his brands, increase his market value and “profit from Mr. Floyd’s horrendous death and his family’s trauma”.
Though fentanyl was, indeed, present in Floyd’s system at the time of his passing, medical examiners ruled his death a homicide and in 2021, Chauvin was convicted of murdering George by pressing his knee to Floyd’s neck for more than nine minutes as he lay face-down in the street.
West’s episode of Drink Champs has since been pulled from YouTube and Revolt TV and co-host N.O.R.E. has apologised for giving the rapper a platform to express his controversial opinions.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: Lorie Shaull