Civil rights attorney Ben Crump won a historic $779.3 million verdict for the family of Lewis Butler, a security guard killed during an armed robbery at a Florida internet café that failed to report a previous crime involving the same gun. The ruling delivers long-sought accountability while Butler’s widow presses for reforms to shut down dangerous, unregulated gambling venues.
Tag: Benjamin Crump
Posted inBaltimore News
Coppin State University names Health and Human Services Building after Henrietta Lacks
Coppin State University’s Health and Human Services Building now bears the name of Henrietta Lacks, honoring the Baltimore woman whose cells became the first immortal human cell line. The building, CSU’s largest academic facility, houses nursing, social work, criminal justice, and other programs, and was unveiled during a ceremony featuring CSU President Anthony L. Jenkins and civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump.
Posted inBlack History
Lynching by suicide: The rebranded face of America’s racial violence
The death of 21-year-old Delta State University student Demartravion “Trey” Reed, ruled a suicide, is being challenged by his family and activists who cite evidence of foul play and a long history of racial violence in the South. Advocates say Reed’s case reflects a broader pattern of suspicious deaths of Black Americans being dismissed as suicides, echoing the legacy of lynching in America.
Posted inBlack Press
‘Black America’s Attorney General’ donates $50K to Black Press during NNPA Awards Reception
Attorney Benjamin Crump surprised attendees at the 2025 NNPA National Leadership Awards Reception with a $50,000 donation to the National Newspaper Publishers Association, praising the Black Press as the “clarion call” for Black America. The event, a highlight of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, also honored leaders including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Yvette Clarke, and union president Claude Cummings Jr.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Kaepernick backs family’s call for truth with independent autopsy in Delta State student’s death
Colin Kaepernick is funding an independent autopsy for Delta State University student Demartravion “Trey” Reed, who was found dead on campus, to help the family find the truth behind his death.
Posted inAfro Briefs
Florida’s Raiford Prison bans AFRO edition from inmates; warden cites threat to security and rehabilitation initiatives
Florida’s Raiford Prison banned the AFRO’s special edition on George Floyd and racial justice, claiming it posed a security risk and threatened rehabilitation efforts. Critics argue the ban reflects a broader pattern of censorship that suppresses inmates’ access to reform-focused content and silences marginalized voices behind bars.
Posted inCivil Rights
Ben Crump, ‘Black America’s Attorney General,’ speaks on George Floyd and the continued fight against injustice
By D. Kevin McNeir Special to the AFRO Few attorneys are as closely tied to America’s civil rights struggles as Benjamin Crump. Known for representing families in high-profile wrongful death cases, Crump has become a leading legal voice in the fight against police brutality and racial injustice. His clients have included the families of Trayvon Martin […]
Posted inBlack History
Family of Malcolm X requests declassification of government files as multi-million-dollar lawsuit continues
Malcolm X’s family has called upon the White House to declassify government files related to his assassination, which occurred nearly 60 years ago, in order to solve the mystery behind the conspiratorial actions that led to his murder.
Posted inNational News
When failing to act leads to the death of a student
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the City of Newport News, its school board, and several educators at Menchville High School for the death of Kaleiah Jones, who died after collapsing in the hallway of her high school and receiving inadequate care.
Posted inBlack History
Ben Crump announces lawsuit against big pharma on behalf of Henrietta Lacks family
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and attorney Christopher Seeger have filed a lawsuit on behalf of the family of Henrietta Lacks against Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp., Novartis Gene Therapies Inc., Viatris Inc. and Mylan Pharmaceuticals for the wrongful and unauthorized commercialization of her cells.
Posted inHealth
How climate change is affecting youth sports
Youth athletes in the D.C.-Maryland area are at risk of being affected by rising temperatures and heat stroke, with football players and women’s cross country athletes being most at risk, as evidenced by a study and a lawsuit filed by the parents of a deceased football player.
Posted inBaltimore News
Marilyn Mosby avoids prison, sentenced to one year home detention for mortgage fraud, perjury convictions
Former Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby was sentenced to three years of supervised release and 12 months of home detention for mortgage fraud and perjury, and was also ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.