The family of Malcolm Xthe civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1965, announced Friday that hehas filed a $100 million lawsuit against the United States government.
Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965 at the age of 39 at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan. A group of men shot him a total of 21 times in front of his wife and daughters.
Ilyasah Shabazz, the daughter of Malcolm have uncovered new evidence that they believe will prove that the NYPD and the FBI conspired to kill Malcolm X.
In the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Federal Court, the daughters, along with estates of Malcolm It also demands answers to questions that still surround the murder.
Malcolm
“They did not know who murdered Malcolm ” the lawsuit states. “The damage caused to the Shabazz family is unimaginable, immense and irreparable.”
At a press conference, Attorney Ben Crump stood with family members as he outlined the lawsuit, saying he hoped federal and city officials would read it “and learn about all the amazing things his predecessors did and tried to right these historic wrongs.”
Although three men were initially convicted of the murder, two were exonerated in 2021.
Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam were originally convicted of the murder of Malcolm city and state of New York.
According to the complaint, Mustafa Hassan, witness to the assassination of Malcolmrevealed that when he and others attempted to apprehend one of the alleged shooters, it appeared to him that the NYPD officers on the scene attempted to help the shooter escape.
Lawyers representing the family said authorities never bothered to take a statement from Hassan even though it was supposedly clear that he was present during the murderimplying that law enforcement deliberately neglected to conduct a proper investigation.
The lawyers also claim have sworn statements of two of Malcolm X’s former personal security guards. According to the lawyers, The two were caught and jailed by an undercover NYPD officer. a week before Malcolm X’s death to ensure the assassination was successful, according to lawyers.
The NYPD declined to comment on the allegations. due to pending litigation.
“For decades, these agencies viewed black activism as a threat to national security, resulting in the unchecked targeting of prominent leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey,” the family said in a news release.
“This lawsuit seeks accountability for the systemic negligence and intentional actions that deprived Malcolm X’s family and the world of his life and legacy.”
In total, the lawsuit lists nine causes of actionincluding the use of excessive force against Malcolm
Keep reading:
• Malikah Shabazz, one of the daughters of civil rights leader Malcolm X, is found dead in New York
• Two men convicted of Malcolm X’s murder acquitted almost 60 years later
• Malcolm X’s murder to be re-investigated after Netflix documentary