Essence Magazine:
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The mother of George Floyd’s daughter has filed a $250 million lawsuit against rapper Ye (formerly Kanye West) following his recent comments on Floyd’s death.
Roxie Washington, the mother of Floyd’s only daughter Gianna, announced Tuesday she’s hired a team of lawyers to go after West, his business partners and his associates for harassment, misappropriation, defamation, and infliction of emotional distress. They’re seeking $250 million in damages.
The suit comes after a since-deleted appearance on the hip-hop podcast, Drink Champs, where for three and a half hours, West covered everything from Jewish media, abortion, Ray-J, Adidas, Black fatherhood and more.
Of the most controversial, were his statements about Floyd’s death, saying he died as a result of fentanyl use.
West’s theory was debunked during Chauvin’s trial when Dr. Vik Bebarta, an emergency physician, toxicologist, and professor at the University of Colorado in Denver, said Floyd died because of how Officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee down on Floyd’s neck for 9 1/2 minutes.
While West cited Candace Owen’s upcoming anti-Black Lives Matter documentary as his source of information, he told the Drink Champs cast, “If you look, the guy’s [Derek Chauvin] knee wasn’t even on his [Floyd] neck like that.”
Nuru Witherspoon, attorney for the Floyd family said, “George Floyd’s daughter is being traumatized by Kanye West’s comments and he’s creating an unsafe and unhealthy environment for her.”
In the cease and desist, the family’s lawyers demand West remove the interview.
“Free Speech Rights do not include harassment, lies, misrepresentation, and the misappropriation of George Floyd’s legacy. Some words have consequences and Mr. West will be made to understand that,” said Kay Harper Williams, another of Washington’s attorneys.
In June 2020, Kanye West reportedly made a $2 million donation to support the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor.
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