The estate of Malcolm X has filed a lawsuit against the United States Government, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the New York Police Department. The lawsuit alleges these entities played a significant role in the events leading to Malcolm X’s assassination and engaged in a decades-long cover-up to shield their involvement from the public.
According to the complaint, U.S. government agencies and the NYPD were aware of serious, credible threats to Malcolm X’s life and failed to intervene, allowing the tragic assassination to take place on February 21, 1965. It asserts that these entities, under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, then-head of the FBI, 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.
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For decades, these agencies viewed Black activism as a threat to national security, resulting in the unchecked targeting of prominent leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Marcus Garvey. 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.
According to the lawsuit, the FBI and CIA collaborated with undercover agents within the Nation of Islam. Despite knowing the gravity of the threats, the FBI failed to protect Malcolm X, instead actively compromising his safety by arresting his security team days before his assassination, removing security officers from the ballroom where he was killed, and not approving permits allowing him to purchase a firearm.
The estate’s lawsuit includes the following allegations:
- The NYPD and federal agencies were aware of imminent threats but failed to safeguard Malcolm X’s life.
- The NYPD and federal agencies removed security personnel from the ballroom, reducing his protection.
- Federal and local agencies allegedly encouraged the assassination and directly facilitated conditions that made it possible.
- Federal agents, including undercover operatives, were in the ballroom during the assassination and took no steps to intervene.
- After the assassination, a coordinated effort was made to conceal the involvement of these agencies, preventing the Shabazz family from seeking justice in court.
“This cover-up spanned decades, blocking the Shabazz family’s access to the truth and their right to pursue justice,” said Attorney Ben Crump. “We are making history by standing here to confront those wrongs and seeking accountability in the courts.”
The lawsuit details nine causes of action, which include excessive use of force against Malcolm X, deliberate creation of danger, failure to protect, and the denial of access to the courts for Malcolm’s family. It also charges the defendants with conspiracy, fraudulent concealment, and wrongful death.
