The daughter of civil rights leader Malcolm X has initiated a civil lawsuit against the United States, the city of New York, and the estates of several former federal agents, alleging their involvement in concealing, condoning, and facilitating Malcolm X’s assassination in 1965. Details of the legal action were disclosed on Friday. The lawsuit, led by esteemed civil rights attorney Ben Crump, accuses various authorities, including the US Department of Justice (DOJ), the CIA, the FBI, and the NYPD, of acting both individually and collaboratively in the events leading up to and following Malcolm X’s assassination.
The complaint asserts that the NYPD had prior knowledge of threats to Malcolm X’s life but instead chose to collaborate with federal agencies to detain members of his security team before the fateful speaking engagement where the assassination occurred. Moreover, the NYPD is also accused of deliberately diverting officers from the venue, neglecting protocol despite evident threats.
Further accusations are levied against undercover federal agents who, despite being present in the ballroom during the assassination, allegedly did not act to prevent the kill and subsequently participated in covering up their involvement. This narrative is substantiated by the activities of informants who reportedly witnessed the assassination.
The legal action also reflects on historical injustices, highlighting the exoneration in 2021 of Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam, previously convicted of the assassination. The wrongful convictions led to both men serving 20 years in prison; Islam passed away in 2009, while Aziz subsequently filed a lawsuit against New York City, citing violations of due process including fabricated evidence and coerced testimonies.
The 85-page complaint details the FBI’s controversial practices such as COINTELPRO that targeted Black political figures, reflecting a broader pattern of rights infringements against Black leaders such as Marcus Garvey and Martin Luther King Jr. Besides wrongful death, the complaint articulates nine causes of action, including excessive force, conspiracy, and denial of access to courts, seeking compensatory damages for loss of companionship, constitutional violations, and deprivation of economic benefits.