The mother of George Floyd’s daughter has allegedly filed a $250 million lawsuit against Kanye West, claiming that the billionaire rapper and fashion mogul’s recent statements, in which he appeared to blame Floyd’s death on fentanyl rather than police violence, “retraumatized” her daughter.
Roxie Washington’s attorneys claim West’s statements constitute “harassment, misappropriation, defamation, and infliction of emotional distress.” It is unclear how West’s words are defamatory because the law prohibits defamation of the deceased.
“The interests of the child are priority. George Floyd’s daughter is being retraumatized by Kanye West’s comments and he’s creating an unsafe and unhealthy environment for her,” attorney Nuru Witherspoon said.
According to reports, the lawsuit would also target West’s “business partners” and “associates.”
It’s unclear whether attorneys have already filed the case or whether the disclosure is a ploy to drive West into a settlement.
West made the remarks during a recent interview on the podcast “Drink Champs.”
“They hit [Floyd] with the fentanyl. If you look, the guy’s knee wasn’t even on his neck like that,” West said.
Attorneys representing George Floyd’s daughter, Gianna, and her mother issued West a cease-and-desist letter earlier this week, requesting that he stop publicly commenting on Floyd’s death.
Floyd’s death was declared a murder by a medical examiner. An autopsy report, however, revealed additional “significant” conditions, such as hypertensive heart disease, fentanyl intoxication, and methamphetamine usage.
Kanye West contributed $2 million in 2020 to help George Floyd’s family, as well as Ahmaud Arbrery and Breonna Taylor’s. Floyd’s daughter’s college tuition was covered by the fund’s education plan.