Three daughters of civil rights leader Malcolm X have filed a $100 million lawsuit accusing the CIA, FBI, the New York Police Department, and others of involvement in his 1965 assassination. The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, alleges that these agencies were aware of and participated in the assassination plot but failed to prevent it.
The family's attorney described the lawsuit at a news conference, expressing hope that officials would acknowledge the historical injustices and take steps to address them. The NYPD, CIA, and Department of Justice declined to comment, citing standard practice not to discuss ongoing litigation.
Malcolm X was assassinated at the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan at the age of 39. While three men were initially convicted in connection with his death, two were exonerated in 2021 due to shaky evidence and withheld information. The lawsuit alleges that the prosecution team suppressed the government's role in the assassination.
The family claims there was a corrupt relationship between law enforcement and killers, facilitated by government agents. It accuses the NYPD of arresting Malcolm X's security detail before the assassination and intentionally removing officers from the ballroom where he was killed. Federal agencies, despite having personnel present, allegedly failed to protect him.
The lawsuit was delayed due to withheld information, including the identities of undercover agents involved in the planning. Malcolm X's widow and family have endured decades of uncertainty and pain, not knowing the full extent of government involvement in his murder.
The family's decision to sue law enforcement agencies comes after years of seeking justice and answers surrounding Malcolm X's assassination.
