Family Of George Floyd To Sue Kanye West Over Conspiracy-Laden Comments
The family of George Floyd plan to sue rapper Kanye West for defamation and emotional distress for conspiracy-laden comments he made about Floyd's death on the podcast "Drink Champs."
Roxie Washington, the mother of the late Floyd's only child, is seeking $250 million in damages, according to her attorneys.
West repeated antisemitic remarks he has previously made and suggested Floyd died of a fentanyl overdose. A medical examiner testified that fentanyl was only a contributing factor to Floyd's death, concluding that a police officer kneeling on Floyd's neck was the primary cause of death.
"Kanye's comments are a repugnant attempt to discount George Floyd's life and to profit from his inhumane death," attorney Pat D. Dixon III said in a statement.
The podcast episode with West has been taken down. Podcast co-host rapper N.O.R.E, has apologized.
"I just want to be honest, I support freedom of speech," N.O.R.E said during a radio show interview. "I support anybody not being censored. But I do not support anybody being hurt. I did not realize that the George Floyd statements [made by West] on my show were so hurtful."
The Floyd remarks are the latest in a string of recent controversies for West, who was recently banned from Twitter and Instagram and has lost several corporate partnerships.
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