I have seen Ben Crump in the news lately over three different incidents. He is representing the family of Nolan Wells, who drowned in Mississippi, Daniel Irving, who drowned in Texas, and Kadir Skinner, who was shot and killed by the police in Delaware. (I wasn’t aware of the Skinner incident until I was looking up background for this thread.)
What exactly is Crump doing right now, as a lawyer? None of these men are facing posthumous charges, so he’s not defending them in court. He apparently is planning to file a civil suit against Wilmington, Delaware for Skinner’s death. But what exactly is he doing relating to the deaths of Irving and Wells? They drowned. I don’t see how the families can file a lawsuit against the Gulf of Mexico. Crump has not presented any scenario where anybody else caused the deaths of Irving or Wells, so who can the families sue?
As a lawyer, and one with a “name”, Crump can better investigate the circumstances that led to their death.
Late: Just adding, I knew of someone who died, it seemed pretty obvious how she died, but the family had trouble coming to grips with it. A lawyer with some minor pull was able to investigate/get info to into the circumstances of the death, info probably the family doesn’t get, or easily, w/o the lawyer’s help. Which in that case pretty much confirmed the official story.
Double Late: What Crump gets out of helping w/o potential compensation is more name recognition for him and his law firm.
Does a lawyer like Crump get some kind of commitment from people like this? Or can there be a situation where somebody like Crump pushes the investigation in anticipation of developing the basis for a civil lawsuit (or pushes public opinion as the basis for developing sympathy for the clients) and then after he’s done the groundwork and built a case, some other lawyer steps in and makes a better offer to the family?
What I have always wondered - about Crump and every other lawyer who pops up all over the country - is whether they’re actually members of all those State bars, or do they sign on with a local attorney who is the actual attorney of record and they’re just the mouthpiece?
I think he is drawing attention to these cases that would otherwise go cold or just get swept under the rug, since they involve black people and mysterious circumstances, now that Jesse Jackson is gone and Al Sharpton has slowed-down.
Crump personally has transitioned from a personal injury attorney into a civil rights activist. His law firm still does plenty of personal injury and id guess, as the owner of a firm employing other lawyers, that’s where he still makes his money.
Starring in and producing civil rights movies, representing people who want answers they can trust, basic civil rights advocacy, is how he now spends his time. Not sure how much money he makes off of it or if he’s even trying to. I’d say it’s best thought of as a passion project.
Crump isn’t shy about boasting of his big money wins.
Geoffrey Fieger might be jealous.
If there’s anyone to sue in the Wells case, no doubt Crump will find them.