The family of Malcolm X, the iconic civil rights leader, has filed a $100 million wrongful-death lawsuit against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and New York Police Department (NYPD). The suit alleges that these agencies conspired in his assassination and concealed their involvement for decades.
Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little and later known as el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, was fatally shot on February 21, 1965, while addressing a crowd at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, New York. His daughters now claim that federal and local law enforcement colluded with the gunmen and failed to prevent the attack despite possessing prior knowledge of the threats against him.
At a press conference on Friday, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing the family, stated: “We believe that they all conspired to assassinate Malcolm X, one of the greatest thought leaders of the 20th century. This lawsuit aims to expose the dastardly deeds committed by those agencies and seek justice for his family.”
Allegations of Collusion and Cover-Up
The lawsuit accuses the NYPD of undermining Malcolm X’s security by arresting his security detail days before the assassination. It further alleges that law enforcement officers intentionally withdrew from their posts inside the ballroom during the event.
Additionally, the court filing claims that undercover federal agents were present in the room but failed to intervene during the attack. “The government’s relationship with the killers was actively concealed, condoned, and protected by its agents,” the lawsuit states.
The CIA, FBI, and NYPD have not commented on the lawsuit, citing policies against discussing pending litigation.
Decades of Speculation
The circumstances of Malcolm X’s assassination have been mired in controversy for decades. In 2020, a re-investigation by then-Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance uncovered suppressed evidence pointing to prosecutorial misconduct. This led to the exoneration of two men, Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam, who had been wrongly convicted in 1966.
However, the re-investigation stopped short of identifying the actual perpetrators or proving government collusion. Historians have long argued that Malcolm X’s increasing prominence as a revolutionary leader made him a target of federal surveillance and suppression.
Malcolm X’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz emphasized the enduring pain her family has faced: “For nearly 60 years, we’ve lived with the agony of unanswered questions. It is time for accountability and truth.”
Seeking Justice
The Shabazz family’s lawsuit highlights the broader implications of the case, calling for a reckoning with the legacy of state-sanctioned violence against civil rights leaders. “The damage caused to the Shabazz family is unimaginable, immense, and irreparable,” the lawsuit concludes.
With this legal action, Malcolm X’s family hopes to uncover the full extent of the government’s involvement in his assassination and achieve long-overdue justice for one of America’s most influential voices.
