ASHLAND, Ky. –– Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has been retained by the family of Clarence Wilkerson, a man who died on March 4, after Ashland Police officers attempted to take Wilkerson into custody believing that he had warrants out for his arrest.
Once restrained, Wilkerson became visibly weak and unable to move or breathe properly. Wilkerson suffered from an enlarged heart. Officers took him to the hospital where he died shortly after arriving. In the video taken by a bystander, she repeatedly pleads with officers, stating concerns for Wilkerson’s health. He struggled for several minutes without being provided medical assistance by the officers.
Attorney Crump issued the following statement:
“It is heartbreaking that Clarence’s children and loved ones have to grieve his preventable loss all because officers did not take his clearly declining condition seriously. In the upsetting video, we hear a bystander saying over and over that he needs help, while officers fail to provide aid for several critical minutes. We demand that the Ashland Police Department release all footage they have from this incident and conduct a full investigation so the family and community can see the full picture of how this man lost his life.”
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ABOUT BEN CRUMP LAW
Through his work, nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump has spearheaded a legal movement to better protect the rights of marginalized citizens. He has led landscape-changing civil rights cases and represented clients in a wide range of 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.
