George Floyd's Death: Family Slaps Kanye West With $250 Million Lawsuit Over False Fentanyl Death Claims
The family of George Floyd has filed a $250 million legal bid against Kanye West. This is after the rapper's interview where he claimed that Floyd's death is caused by fentanyl, denying that Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin killed him by kneeling on his neck.
Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd's daughter, Giana Floyd, claimed that West made a false statement about George to "promote his brand."
The Daily Mail says that Floyd's family sent West a "stop" letter because of his comments on the Drink Champs podcast, which has since been taken down.
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Kanye West's Lawsuit Is Underway
The lawsuit will be filed on behalf of Floyd's daughter by the child's mother, Roxie Washington.
The family is suing West, his business partners, and associates for harassment, misappropriation, defamation, and infliction of emotional distress.
During his appearance, West stated that Floyd was killed by fentanyl, not Chauvin.
However, it is unclear whether Candace Owens is one of these "associates," as West obtained the false claim about George Floyd's death from her new documentary, "The Greatest Lie Ever Sold."
"If you look, the guy's knee wasn't even on his neck like that," West said.
Chauvin was found guilty of killing Floyd because he kneeled on Floyd's neck and back, cutting off his oxygen supply and causing brain damage, a heart attack, and other injuries.
West is charged with intentionally making "blatantly false statements" about George Floyd's death in the lawsuit announcement to "promote his brand and increase marketing value and revenue for himself, his business partners, and associates."
The lawyers Floyd's family hired for this lawsuit seem ready to argue that West's lies about Floyd have hurt Floyd's family and daughter just as much as they hurt Floyd.
This is despite having no legal reason to sue for defamation on behalf of a dead person.
"The interests of the child are a priority," said Nuru Witherspoon of the Witherspoon Law Group.
Rolling Stone said in an article that Witherspoon also said that Kanye West's comments retraumatized Floyd's daughter, creating an unhealthy and unsafe environment for her.
Pat D. Dixon, III of Dixon & Dixon, added that West's comments are "repugnant to discount George Floyd's life and to profit from his inhumane death." He said that they will hold West responsible for his harsh words about Floyd's legacy.
The Sandy Hook parents' nearly $1 billion judgment against Alex Jones for spreading conspiracy theories about the 2012 shooting could serve as an example for legal action, according to Lee Merritt, another attorney who has worked with Floyd's family but is not involved in this proposed lawsuit.
George Floyd's Death
While Chauvin also claimed that fentanyl caused Floyd's death, the medical examinations confirmed that compression on his neck and lack of oxygen caused his death.
Furthermore, Chauvin pled guilty to a federal charge of violating Floyd's right to be free from excessive force by a police officer, the New York Post noted.
According to a statement in his plea agreement, Chauvin continued to place his knees on Floyd's neck and body even after he became unresponsive while he was handcuffed and lying on the ground. George Floyd was killed and suffered bodily harm because of this offense.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Bert Hoover
WATCH: George Floyd's Family to Sue Kanye West for $250 Million - From E! News