The daughters of Malcolm X have filed a $100 million lawsuit against the CIA, FBI, and New York Police Department, accusing them of playing a role in the 1965 assassination of their father. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, claims that these agencies were aware of and involved in a plot to kill the civil rights leader and failed to prevent his murder. Attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, described the lawsuit at a news conference, expressing hope that federal and city officials would learn from the “dastardly deeds” of their predecessors and attempt to right these historical wrongs.
The NYPD and CIA did not immediately respond to requests for comment, while the Department of Justice and FBI declined to comment on the ongoing litigation. For decades, questions have surrounded who was responsible for Malcolm X’s death. Three men were initially convicted for his murder, but two of them were exonerated in 2021 after investigators found that some evidence was questionable and authorities had withheld information.
The family’s lawsuit alleges that the prosecution team suppressed the government’s role in the assassination.
Family accuses agencies in Malcolm X case
It claims a “corrupt, unlawful, and unconstitutional” relationship between law enforcement and “ruthless killers” that was actively concealed, condoned, and facilitated by government agents, resulting in Malcolm X’s murder.
According to the lawsuit, the NYPD, in coordination with federal law enforcement agencies, arrested Malcolm X’s security detail days before the assassination and intentionally removed officers from inside the ballroom where he was killed. Meanwhile, federal agencies had personnel, including undercover agents, in the ballroom but failed to protect him. The lawsuit states that the defendants allegedly withheld information, including the identities of undercover agents and informants, and details about the planning leading up to the assassination, which is why the lawsuit was not brought sooner.
Malcolm X’s wife, Betty Shabazz, and their entire family have “suffered the pain of the unknown” for decades, not knowing who murdered Malcolm X, why he was murdered, the level of government orchestration, or the identity of the agents who conspired to ensure his demise. The family seeks accountability and justice for Malcolm X’s assassination and the alleged cover-up that has persisted for decades. They hope that this lawsuit will bring them closer to the truth and help them find closure after enduring the pain of the unknown for so long.
