ALBANY, N.Y. — Nationally renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump today made an urgent plea for the NY Legislature to pass and Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the Grieving Families Act, citing the tragic cases of multiple families who are being denied justice.
“What is the value of a life? Well, in New York, it’s substantially less if you are a child, a retiree, a stay-at-home mom, or a person of color who on average earns far less than white people in our society,” Crump said. “It’s just wrong that NY law values a life in a wrongful death case based on the victim’s income. It’s past time for the NY Legislature and the Governor to correct this wrong by passing the Grieving Families Act.”
Crump cited multiple examples, including Ruth Whitfield, who was shot and killed in the May 14, 2022, massacre at Tops supermarket in Buffalo. Crump joined her son, former Buffalo Fire Commissioner Garnell Whitfield Jr. in calling for the law’s passage.
“Ruth Whitfield was a beloved 86-year-old mother and grandmother who took care of many,” Crump said. “She and nine other Black people were executed by a self-professed white supremecist. Should her life have no value under the law because she was elderly and not collecting a paycheck? Should all their lives be worth less because Black people by and large earn less?
“And what about Ethan Falkowitz, the Long Island 8th grader who was tragically killed by a driver who was drunk and high on cocaine? Ethan was a nationally ranked tennis player and an all-around good kid who was likely to go on to do great things. Does his life have no value because he was still in school and not getting paid?
“Special interests must not be allowed to trample the rights of New Yorkers who have suffered horrible loss. I call upon the bill sponsors and Gov. Hochul to make whatever small compromises are needed to get this legislation unstuck and quickly ensure that it becomes law.”
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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.
