The daughters of civil rights leader Malcolm X have filed a $100 million lawsuit against the FBI, CIA, and New York Police Department (NYPD), accusing the agencies of playing a role in the assassination of their father in 1965.

The lawsuit, filed on Friday in Manhattan federal court, alleges that these agencies not only knew of the plot but also failed to intervene and prevent the killing, Fox News reported.

Malcolm X, born Malcolm Little, was assassinated on February 21, 1965, while speaking at the Audubon Ballroom in Upper Manhattan.

He was shot 21 times in front of his wife, Betty Shabazz, and their daughters, who were in the audience. While three men were initially convicted of the crime, two were exonerated in 2021 after new evidence surfaced, suggesting that key details had been overlooked or concealed by authorities.

Testimony from Mustafa Hassan, who was part of Malcolm X’s security detail at the time, further complicated the case. Mr Hassan claimed that he tried to stop one of the shooters, Thomas Hagan (also known as Talmadge X Hayer), from fleeing the scene. However, police officers allegedly intervened to protect Hayer, with some officers reportedly asking each other, “Is he with us?”

Now, Ben Crump, the civil rights attorney representing the daughters and the Malcolm X estate, said that the lawsuit is an effort to expose the “corrupt, unlawful, and unconstitutional” actions taken by law enforcement and other government agencies leading up to Malcolm X’s death. The complaint accuses the government of enabling a network of “ruthless killers,” who operated with impunity, concealing their actions for years.

“The government’s fingerprints are all over the assassination of Malcolm X,” Mr Crump claimed at a press conference. “We believe we have the evidence to prove it.” He added that the Shabazz family has endured decades of uncertainty, without knowing who was truly responsible for the murder or the extent of the government’s involvement. “The damage caused to the Shabazz family is unimaginable, immense, and irreparable,” the lawsuit says.

Malcolm X’s daughter, Ilyasah Shabazz, at a press conference held at the site of his death, spoke about her family’s fight for justice. “We fought primarily for our mother, who was here,” Ms Ilyasah said, as per ABC News. “My mother was pregnant when she came here to see her husband speak; someone who she just admired totally and to witness this horrific assassination of her husband.”

Malcolm X’s rise to prominence was marked by his role as a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, where he advocated for Black empowerment and civil rights “by any means necessary.” His eventual split from the organisation led to death threats from former allies, many of whom considered him a traitor.

The case also references the assassination of other Black leaders, such as Fred Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, who was killed in 1969 by Chicago police officers. It draws a connection between these killings and COINTELPRO, a covert FBI program designed to disrupt and discredit Black political groups.

A Brazilian businessman alleges a realtor deceived him into selling his Miami Beach mansion for $6 million lower than its true worth to Amazon Boss Jeff Bezos and is now suing him, according to a lawsuit reported reported by The Wall Street Journal. Leo Kryss, one of the founders of the Brazilian toy and electronics company Tectoy, claims the real estate company Douglas Elliman told him that a prospective buyer for his house in exclusive Indian Creek Village won’t pay more than $79 million. Mr Kryss had listed the seven-bedroom, 11 1/2-bathroom mansion, covering 19,000 square feet, for $85 million. 

Now Kryss is suing Elliman for the $6 million he believes he forfeited by not realizing Bezos was the buyer, according to people familiar with the matter, according to The WSJ.

The lawsuit filed in July by Kryss said that he asked Douglas Elliman CEO Jay Parker if the interested buyer was the world’s second richest man, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Parker allegedly let him know that Bezos had nothing to do with it. Later on, in fact, Kryss would agree to sell the mansion for $79 million, unconscious of the fact that Bezos was indeed the buyer, according to the complaint.

The legal dispute highlights the significance of transparency in high-profile real estate deals. At the moment, Kryss is suing them over fraud allegations by the real estate firm.

“Wealthy individuals often shield their identities throughout the process of purchasing a home, from the initial showing through the closing,” Miami real estate agent Danny Hertzberg told WSJ. “Many billionaires, when they’re purchasing a property, are concerned that when the seller knows their identity, they’re going to want a larger number,” he said.

In February of last year, Bezos announced his move to Miami from Seattle. He now owns more than four bayfront acres on Indian Creek Island, a gated community sometimes referred to as the Billionaire Bunker. The island has drawn well-known residents, including Tom Brady, Jared Kushner, and Ivanka Trump.

A New Jersey woman has filed a lawsuit against American Airlines, alleging that the carrier failed to prevent or stop a sexual assault she experienced at the hands of a stranger seated next to her on a flight. According to the Independent, the incident occurred on August 26, 2022, during a nighttime flight from Charlotte, North Carolina, to Newark Liberty International Airport. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, claims that American Airlines bears responsibility for not ensuring her safety and well-being on board.

According to the lawsuit, shortly after takeoff, the woman fell asleep, only to awaken to a horrific discovery. She found the stranger’s arm inside her pants and his hand forcing hers onto his p***s. The man had covered them both with his black puffer jacket, “digitally penetrating” her while she slept. The woman was left paralysed in shock and panic upon waking.

The stranger then climbed on top of her, ”attempting to penetrate her with his p***s, which he was partially able to do,” according to the lawsuit. The woman mustered the strength to push him away, and he promptly returned to his seat, ending the assault.

Later, the attacker attempted to downplay the assault by offering the victim water while forcibly holding her hand, only stopping when he noticed a flight attendant approaching. The victim then woke her friend and reported the incident to a flight attendant, who relocated her to a different seat for the remainder of the flight.

Upon landing, the perpetrator was escorted off the plane, and authorities collected statements from the victim and witnesses. But it is ”unknown whether the Perpetrator was taken into custody and/or ever charged with the sexual assault of Plaintiff,” the lawsuit claimed.

”As alleged in the complaint, we look forward to seeking justice on behalf of our client to remedy this terrible injustice for all that she has suffered,” the woman’s attorney, Brian Andris, told The Independent.

In an email, an American Airlines spokesperson said, “We are reviewing the lawsuit and the details of the flight. The safety and comfort of our customers is a top priority for Americans.”

The lawsuit alleged that the airline industry has been aware of the alarming increase in in-flight sexual assaults, with the FBI reporting 96 related cases in the previous year alone. The suit further emphasised that the victim bore no responsibility for the assault and that American Airlines had a clear duty to ensure her safety during the flight. 

”American Airlines breached its duty of care by failing to properly monitor the cabin, failing to prevent the sexual assault, and failing to promptly intervene when the assault occurred,” the lawsuit claims.

A woman from Brooklyn, United States, who fell from a golf cart is suing Hard Rock Cafe & Hotel in the Dominican Republic for $500,000 (Rs 4 crore). Taylor O’Leary claimed in the complaint that she suffered several injuries after she fell out of her golf cart in July 2022 because the seat was wet and slippery, as per a report in the New York Post.

The incident happened at the Hard Rock Golf Club in Punta Cana. According to the lawsuit, the 27-year-old, who was a guest at the hotel, filed the complaint against the establishment and its corporate owner, Hard Rock Cafe International.

Celebrities like Justin Bieber, Shakira, and Mariah Carey are said to love this five-star luxury resort, which is located along Macao Beach.

Meanwhile, in June, a Disneyland employee died two days after suffering a head injury in a golf cart accident, as per a report in The Hollywood Reporter. The 60-year-old woman named Bonnye Mavis Lear was in the backstage area of the California theme park when the incident occurred.

Anaheim Police and Anaheim Fire and Rescue personnel arrived at the resort on Wednesday after they were informed about the accident. She was sitting as a passenger and struck her head after falling from the moving cart. The 60-year-old was then taken to a local hospital in grave condition.

The 60-year-old worked for 24 years at the Disneyland Resort, where she “supported membership services at Club 33,” the park’s exclusive private dining club.

Disney California Adventure Attractions cast member Rae Delgado, wrote on Facebook that Ms Lear suffered brain swelling and a fractured skull from the accident. “Bonnye was travelling on a rear-facing seat of a golf cart along with 3 passengers behind Critter Country. The driver of the vehicle was driving at least 20 mph on the route. The golf cart came in contact with a bump/dip in the road which caused Bonnye to react immediately. As she went to grab the handrail, it gave way and sent her out of the vehicle. … She was deemed unconscious when paramedics arrived.”

Despite the surgery, “it was beyond repair,” according to the employee, and Ms Lear was pronounced “brain dead”.

 

Pop sensation Madonna is facing legal action from a concert-goer at her Celebration World Tour, who alleges that explicit content was shown without warning during her performance. 

Justen Lipeles filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles on Wednesday accusing Madonna of showing “pornography without warning” during her March 7 concert at the Kia Forum venue in the city. The lawsuit names Madonna and Live Nation, the concert’s promoter, as defendants. 

He claimed that he was “forced to watch topless women on stage simulating sex acts” without being warned about the nature of the performance, The Guardian reported. Mr Lipeles, who purchased four tickets priced at $500 (around Rs 41,718) each, also claims that the concert, which was supposed to start at 8:30 pm, actually began at 10 pm, without any prior notice. 

He claimed that the temperature inside the venue, the Kia Forum, was “uncomfortably hot” because Madonna reportedly “refused to allow the air conditioning to be turned on”. 

Mr Lipeles claimed that he began “sweating profusely” and even became “physically ill” due to the heat. When other fans complained about the uncomfortable conditions, Madonna “told them to take their clothes off”, which was dubbed “unreasonable” by Mr Lipeles.

Justen Lipeles’ lawsuit goes into further detail, alleging that during most of the performance, it was evident that Madonna was lip-syncing, which contradicted the expectations of a live concert experience. 

The lawsuit talks about multiple legal grounds including breach of contract, negligent misrepresentation, unfair competition, false advertising and emotional distress. It states that Madonna’s actions, particularly her alleged instruction for fans to undress and the presentation of explicit content without warning, were “intentional, extreme, and outrageous”, which caused emotional distress to Mr Lipeles and other attendees. 

Justen Lipeles is now seeking compensatory damages, along with a sum to cover his legal expenses and a refund for the concert tickets.

Jalon Hall, a black, deaf employee and the first of her kind hired by Google, has filed a lawsuit against the tech giant, alleging racial and disability discrimination. Ms Hall accuses Google of failing to live up to its promises of inclusivity despite celebrating her as a diversity success story.

According to Wired, Ms Hall’s lawsuit paints a contrasting picture between Google’s public image and its internal practices. While Google touted Ms Hall on social media and corporate events as an example of their inclusive work environment, the lawsuit claims she faced a hostile work environment filled with racial bias.

Ms Hall alleges that after initial promises of sign language interpreter support, Google restricted access to interpreters after assigning her to a role focused on reviewing content for YouTube’s child safety regulations. The lawsuit states that managers refused interpreters due to confidentiality concerns, despite established ethical codes for sign language interpreters.

This lack of accommodations left Ms Hall struggling to meet performance expectations. Unable to understand the video content efficiently without an interpreter, Ms Hall reportedly reviewed far fewer videos than the expected quota. This resulted in slow career progression compared to her peers.

“I felt humiliated, realising that I would not grow in my career,” Ms Hall told Wired.

Furthermore, the lawsuit details an instance where a manager referred to Ms Hall as an “aggressive black deaf woman” and suggested she take on a sales role instead. Additionally, Hall claims she was excluded from discussions and passed over for promotions due to “inaccurate evaluations.”

While Google has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on procedural grounds, they haven’t addressed the specific accusations. Ms Hall, however, is determined to see change.

“Google is using me to make them look inclusive for the Deaf community and the overall disability community,” Ms Hall told Wired. “In reality, they need to do better.”

Ms Hall’s case sheds light on the underrepresentation of black and disabled employees at Google, which is a company with nearly 183,000 workers.

Black women, specifically, have a higher departure rate than women of other races. Google’s deaf and hard-of-hearing employee group reportedly consists of only 40 members, company data showed last year.

Ms Hall’s lawsuit seeks not only personal compensation but also systemic changes. She demands reinforcement policies to ensure future hires with disabilities receive proper accommodation and equal opportunities.

A woman has sued a fertility doctor in Washington, alleging he secretly used his sperm for her artificial insemination procedure 34 years ago. 

Sharon Hayes, now 67, from Hauser in the US state of Idaho, claims that she sought fertility treatment from Dr David R Claypool, an obstetrician and gynaecologist based in Spokane, Washington, back in 1989. This decision was made after she and her then-husband experienced difficulties in conceiving, according to a report in the Associated Press.

In a complaint filed on Wednesday at the Spokane County Superior Court, Ms Hayes revealed her preference for an anonymous donor. However, Dr Claypool allegedly provided deceptive information, assuring her that the donor selection would be based on her specified traits such as hair and eye colour. He assured that the chosen donors would undergo health and genetic screenings. 

According to the lawsuit, for each of several treatments, Dr Claypool charged $100 in cash, claiming these funds were meant for the college or medical students supposedly providing the sperm.

It wasn’t until last year that her 33-year-old daughter, Brianna Hayes, who was born from this procedure, discovered the identity of her biological father after submitting her DNA to the genetic testing and ancestry website, 23andMe.

Brianna Hayes made another startling discovery that she had a minimum of 16 other half-siblings in the vicinity. It remains uncertain whether any other women are currently pursuing legal actions against Claypool.

In her statement, Brianna Hayes said, “It’s been an identity crisis, for sure. This was hidden from me my whole life. I felt traumatised for my mom, and the fact that I’m a product of his actions is off-putting.”

During a conversation with one of his previous patients, Dr David R Claypool remarked, “I know people are very happy. But this is the first I’ve heard of anything in 40 years.”