Three daughters of civil rights icon Malcolm X have filed a $100 million lawsuit alleging that multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, CIA, and NYPD, were complicit in his assassination. As reported by CW39, the lawsuit argues that these agencies "failed to stop the killing" in 1965 that ended Malcolm X's life with 21 gunshots as he prepared to address an audience in New York.
Attorney Ben Crump, known for his involvement in civil rights cases, is leading the legal charge alongside Malcolm X’s daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz. "We are not just making history, but we're making a path for justice," Crump announced during a recent New York news conference, having previously discovered new evidence after two men wrongly convicted for Malcolm X’s murder were exonerated in 2021. This update was unveiled in a statement obtained by Florida Phoenix.
Details from the 85-page lawsuit shed light on nine causes of action against the aforementioned government agencies, which are accused of playing a "significant role" in the events leading up to Malcolm X's assassination and subsequently engaging in a coverup, Florida Phoenix reports. Efforts to get a response from the accused parties have been met with silence; the agencies named as defendants have either declined to comment or not responded when approached for remarks.
Nebraska state Sen. Terrell McKinney appreciated the dedicated pursuit of justice, noting a perceptual shift regarding Malcolm X, which is good, as reported by Florida Phoenix. McKinney, who represents the district where Malcolm X was born, emphasized the importance of continued efforts to recognize the civil rights leader's contributions and the ongoing need for awareness and advocacy.
Crump and his team have put forth that law enforcement arrested Malcolm X's key security guards just days before the assassination, alleges the lawsuit, despite knowing the threats, effectively making him an easier target. Additionally, it is claimed that federal undercover agents were present at the Audubon Ballroom during Malcolm X's assassination but did not intervene.
The lawsuit describes Malcolm X as "a minister, teacher, human rights activist, founding member of the Organization of Afro-American Unity and Muslim Mosque, who “fought against racism, colonialism, and oppression, and advocated for Black people to engage in self-determination." With this legal action, his family seeks "accountability for the systemic negligence and intentional actions that deprived Malcolm X's family and the world of his life and legacy,” as stated by Crump and further relayed by Florida Phoenix.
