Ben Crump, widely known as “The Attorney General of Black America,” is a high-profile civil rights attorney recognized for representing families in some of the nation’s most prominent cases involving police brutality and racial injustice.
Crump was recently seen recently, on July 23, during a press conference at St. Paul Church in Jacksonville, Florida, representing William Anthony McNeil Jr. calling his arrest “a classic case of driving while Black.”
McNeil, 22, whose violent Feb. 19 arrest recently surfaced in video footage showing him being punched during a traffic stop, spoke publicly for the first time alongside Crump. The incident, which police said stemmed from McNeil driving without headlights in bad weather, is now under renewed scrutiny under Crump’s representation.
Who is Ben Crump, the attorney representing William McNeil?
Benjamin Lloyd Crump, 55, is a Tallahassee, Florida-based attorney representing William McNeil Jr. During a media conference held Wednesday morning, McNeil spoke publicly for the first time after a viral video was released of police breaking his car window and punching him during a traffic stop.
Crump called the police’s arrest “a horrific, brutal encounter,” and described the physical toll the arrest took on McNeil, alleging that police “were banging his head against the concrete while he was in handcuffs.” He added, “This is not good policing. Nobody can say this is good policing.”
What was William McNeil Jr. charged with?
Court records show that William McNeil pleaded guilty to resisting police without violence and driving with a suspended license, two days after his arrest.
He was sentenced to two days already served in jail and a misdemeanor marijuana charge was dropped.
Will Jacksonville officers be reprimanded for punching the suspect during arrest?
As the week the video surfaced and during the July 21 sheriff’s conference, prosecutors have determined that the arresting officer did not commit any crimes, according to Waters. However, Waters said he could neither condone nor condemn the officer’s actions during the stop and arrest because it was still under review by his agency.
What is Ben Crump famous for?
Most Americans who know Ben Crump recognize him for his work on high-profile cases involving excessive force by police or fatal encounters with vigilantes invoking “stand-your-ground” laws, police brutality, and racial injustice.
However, Crump’s national prominence grew in 2012 after he began representing the family of Trayvon Martin, a teenager killed by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch representative in Florida. Crump also represented the family of 18-year-old Michael Brown, shot and killed by police in Ferguson, Missouri.
Trayvon Martin’s case and the acquittal of George Zimmerman catalyzed the Black Lives Matter movement, solidifying Crump’s role as a prominent civil rights attorney and a leading voice in cases involving police brutality and racial injustice.
Who has Ben Crump represented?
Crump has been dubbed “Black America’s Attorney General” by civil rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton. Some of the families he has represented include:
Alongside other clients he believed were victims of wrongful deaths, including families in the Flint water crisis and the Holtzclaw Oklahoma City Police rape case.
How much money in settlements has Crump won for victims?
According to his attorney services website, Crump has helped reach historic settlements and verdicts for families that have faced injustices. Here are the settlements:
How does Crump get paid?
Crump works on a contingency basis, which means his clients don’t pay anything upfront. Instead, his legal fees are taken from the settlement only if the case is successful.
Where did Crump go to law school?
Crump graduated from Florida State University and received his law degree from FSU College of Law.
What university in Florida was named after Crump?
In February 2023, St. Thomas University — a Catholic university in Miami, Florida — formally renamed its law school the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law, making it the first law school in the United States to be named after a currently practicing Black attorney.
Who is Ben Crump married to?
Crump is married to Genae Angelique Crump.
Does Crump have a book?
Yes. Crump’s book, published in October 2019, “Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People,” reflects on the landmark cases he has battled, and how discrimination in the courthouse devastates real families and communities.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Who is Ben Crump? The renowned civil rights attorney representing William McNeil
Reporting by Doris Alvarez Cea, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
