The attorney for George Floyd’s family indicated they may sue Kanye West for his false statements regarding Floyd’s death. West alleged in a Drink Champs podcast preview that Floyd “spoke a prayer for eight minutes, they hit him with the fentanyl” and “the guy’s knee wasn’t even on his neck like that.” West again blamed the “Jewish media,” continuing his worrisome anti-Semitic rants.
When Fox News host Tucker Carlson—who just last week was in the headlines over his own controversial interview with West—made a similarly false claim that Floyd died from a fentanyl overdose, these comments ignore the 9 minutes and 29 seconds the entire world saw former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck, including 3 minutes and 51 seconds after he was non-responsive, as shown in videos from bystanders’ cell phones.
Medical examiners ruled Floyd’s death a murder due to a low oxygen level from neck compression causing cardiac arrest and too little fentanyl in his circulation. (Dr. Martin Tobin’s evidence, a lifelong pulmonary specialist with considerable experience in pulmonary and critical care medicine, helps explain this situation.) Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintended murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter.
Lee Merritt, a human rights lawyer and activist representing the Floyd family, reacted to West on Twitter Sunday.
“While one cannot disparage the dead,” Merritt added, “the family of [George Floyd] is considering action for Kanye’s inaccurate remarks concerning the method of his death.”
“Claiming Floyd died from fentanyl not the violence proved criminally and civilly weakens & minimizes the Floyd family’s fight,” he said.
While one cannot defame the dead, the family of #GeorgeFloyd is considering suit for Kanye’s false statements about the manner of his death.
Claiming Floyd died from fentanyl not the brutality established criminally and civilly undermines & diminishes the Floyd family’s fight.
— Lee Merritt (@MerrittForTexas) October 16, 2022
What do you think about the possibility of a lawsuit against Kanye West? [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”phck1hj776″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”0″]Do you agree that Floyd family would be justified or should they leave Kanye alone?[/wpdiscuz-feedback]
