Malcolm X's estate filed a lawsuit against the federal government, claiming it played a role in the civil-rights leader's 1965 assassination.
The lawsuit, filed against the Department of Justice, FBI, CIA, and New York Police Department, charges that those agencies played a role in Malcolm X's fatal shooting and then were involved in a cover-up, the Hill reported.
The agencies are accused knowing about threats against Malcolm X but did not intervene, the Hill reported.
Malcolm X, whose real name was Malik Shabazz, was fatally shot by three men on Feb. 21, 1965 at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan in front of his pregnant wife Betty and his four daughters. He was shot 21 times.
Malcolm X's family is demanding $100 million in restitution and demanding answers to questions about his assassination, the Hill reported. Three people were convicted for killing Malcolm X, though two people were exonerated in 2021.
The lawsuit claims the FBI, under the direction of former Director J. Edgar Hoover, "went beyond mere allegedly illegal surveillance of Malcolm X, actively conspiring to reduce his protection and leaving him vulnerable to an attack they knew was imminent."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Marcus Garvey were other civil-rights activists targeted by the government, the family said in a press 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," the family said.
Prominent civil-rights attorney Ben Crump is representing the family.
The suit also charges the defendants with conspiracy, fraudulent concealment, and wrongful death.
"This cover-up spanned decades, blocking the Shabazz family's access to the truth and their right to pursue justice," Crump said. "We are making history by standing here to confront those wrongs and seeking accountability in the courts."
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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