Attorneys for George Floyd’s daughter and her mom have despatched rapper Kanye West a cease-and-desist letter, demanding that he chorus from commenting publicly about Floyd’s loss of life as he did not too long ago.
Over the weekend, the hip-hop podcast “Drink Champs” launched an interview with the rapper and dressmaker, who now goes by Ye, by which he questioned the reason for Floyd’s loss of life, suggesting it was because of fentanyl use and never by Derek Chauvin, the previous Minneapolis police officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck for 9½ minutes and was convicted of homicide. Chauvin additionally pleaded responsible to a federal cost of violating Floyd’s civil rights.
Chauvin’s knee “wasn’t even on his neck like that,” Ye mentioned. The interview is now not accessible on the “Drink Champs” YouTube web page, and one of many hosts of the podcast, rapper N.O.R.E., apologized Monday to the Floyd household amid backlash.
The letter — dated Tuesday and despatched on behalf of Floyd’s daughter, Gianna, and her mom, Roxie Washington, by the Witherspoon Regulation Group, which has places of work in Florida, Illinois, Missouri and Texas — mentioned Washington and Gianna “are very distressed and harm by the allegations” Ye made. It’s addressed to Ye and an lawyer who instructed NBC Information he’s not representing Ye on this matter.
“Mr. Floyd’s reason for loss of life is well-settled by way of proof introduced in courts of regulation in the course of the prison and civil trials that have been the results of his premature and horrific loss of life,” the letter mentioned. “Nonetheless, you’ve got maliciously made statements which might be inaccurate and unfounded, inflicting harm to Mr. Floyd’s property and his household.”
The letter calls for that Ye, his attorneys, staff, brokers, companions, associates and representatives “chorus from publishing or inflicting to be revealed some other audio, video, assertion, submit, and many others. concerning” Floyd, his property, his household and the circumstances surrounding his loss of life, together with, however not restricted to, his method of loss of life. It additionally calls for that Ye “instantly stop and desist, and take away the ‘Drink Champs’ interview and all related statements” concerning Floyd from each social media web site, platform or medium.
Representatives for Ye didn’t instantly return requests for remark.
The letter threatens authorized motion if the calls for aren’t met.
Ye has mentioned his claims have been supported by a documentary titled “The Best Lie Ever Bought: George Floyd and the Rise of BLM” by conservative commentator Candace Owens. Ye and Owens drew criticism this month after they wore “White Lives Matter” T-shirts to his assortment at Paris Trend Week. The Anti-Defamation League has referred to as the phrase, which originated in response to the Black Lives Matter motion, hate speech. Ye, who as soon as prompt slavery was a selection, was blocked from posting on Twitter and Instagram a few week in the past over antisemitic posts that the social networks mentioned violated their insurance policies.
Outstanding civil rights lawyer Lee Merritt beforehand instructed NBC Information that he had been contacted Sunday by Floyd’s brother, Philonise, about whether or not authorized motion may be taken to forestall Ye from repeating debunked claims about Floyd’s loss of life. Merritt mentioned he’s additionally trying into whether or not Owens may be sued on related grounds.
The health worker who dominated Floyd’s loss of life a murder testified throughout Chauvin’s state trial that whereas Floyd’s coronary heart illness and use of fentanyl contributed to his loss of life, cops’ restraint of his physique and compression of his neck have been the first causes.
Chauvin and three different officers, who have been additionally charged in state and federal court docket, encountered Floyd on Could 25, 2020, exterior a comfort retailer the place he was alleged to have used a pretend $20 invoice to purchase cigarettes. Video of Floyd’s loss of life recorded by bystanders spurred world protests in opposition to racism and police brutality.
Chauvin was sentenced in June 2021 to 22 ½ years in jail after he was convicted of second- and third-degree homicide, and second-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced in July 2022 to only greater than 20 years for violating Floyd’s civil rights. His federal and state sentences are to be served concurrently.
Diana Dasrath contributed.
