BEAUMONT, Tex. – Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump and co-counsels Harry Daniels and Chance Lynch will file a public records lawsuit on behalf of Christopher Shaw for the release of the video of Beaumont Police Officer James Thomas Gillen attacking and paralyzing him. Shaw was handcuffed and in custody at the Jefferson County Correctional Facility (JCCF) for public intoxication on June 12, 2021.
According to the federal lawsuit filed by co-counsel Chance Lynch and Harry Daniels in July against Gillen, the City of Beaumont, and Corrhealth, LLC, Shaw was handcuffed and restrained by deputies at the Jefferson County jail when Gillen “body slammed” him onto the jail’s concrete floor. Shaw, who posed no physical threat to Gillen or any of the officers present, received a broken neck due to the attack. The Beaumont Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff have refused to release video of the attack despite repeated media and public calls.
WHO:
Christopher Shaw
Attorney Ben Crump
Attorney Harry Daniels
Attorney Chance Lynch
Attorney Brooke Cluse
Beaumont Texas Chapter of the NAACP representatives
The 100 Black Men of Greater Beaumont representatives
WHEN:
June 29, 2023, at 9:30 am CT
Media are asked to arrive no later than 8:45 AM CT and to RSVP HERE. A copy of the lawsuit will be provided to the media ahead of the news conference.
WHERE:
Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office
1001 Pearl St. #103
Beaumont, TX 77701
###
ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to protect marginalized citizens’ rights better. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in various areas, including civil rights, personal injury, labor and employment, class actions, and more. Ben Crump Law is dedicated to holding the powerful accountable. For more information, visit bencrump.com.