<\/p>\n
The mother of George Floyd\u2019s daughter is planning to file a $250m (R4.5bn) lawsuit against Kanye West.<\/p>\n
Roxie Washington, who is the mother of Gianna Floyd, is taking action against the 45-year-old rapper for harassment, misappropriation, defamation, and infliction of emotional distress after he alleged George died as a result of fentanyl use and not as a result of police brutality.<\/p>\n
Witherspoon Law Group and Dixon and Dixon Attorneys at Law confirmed that the family have already issued a cease-and-desist letter to West for having made \u201cfalse statements about George Floyd\u2019s death to promote his brands, and increase marketing value and revenue for himself, his business partners, and associates\u201d.<\/p>\n
According to \u201cTMZ\u201d, the letter reads in part: \u201cMr Floyd\u2019s cause of death is well-settled through evidence presented in courts of law during the criminal and civil trials that were the result of his untimely and horrific death. <\/p>\n
\u201cNevertheless, you have maliciously made statements that are inaccurate and unfounded, causing damage to Mr Floyd\u2019s estate and his family.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Floyd family say the \u201cStronger\u201d rapper\u2019s statements were \u201cblatantly false\u201d and \u201cmalicious\u201d and argue Gianna is being \u201cretraumatised\u201d by West\u2019s comments, which are \u201ccreating an unsafe and unhealthy environment for her.\u201d<\/p>\n
The letter wants West to remove his statements about George \u2013 whose death kick-started the Black Lives Matter protests around the world \u2013 from the internet and stop talking about him.<\/p>\n
West made his comments on the \u201cDrink Champs\u201d podcast earlier this week.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI watched the George Floyd documentary that Candace Owens put out. One of the things that his two roommates said was they want a tall guy like me, and the day that he died, he said a prayer for eight minutes. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey hit him with the fentanyl. If you look, the guy\u2019s knee wasn\u2019t even on his neck like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The interview has now been removed from the \u201cDrink Champs\u201d YouTube channel and Revolt TV.<\/p>\n
Former police officer Derek Chauvin was jailed for 22.5 years for murdering George by kneeling on his neck and back for over nine minutes.<\/p>\n
Hennepin County Chief Medical Examiner Dr Andrew Baker previously testified that heart disease and fentanyl use had contributed to the man\u2019s death, but were not the direct cause.<\/p>\n