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Family of Wallace man shot and killed by police has retained nationally-renowned civil rights attorney

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston-Riggs
Published June 2, 2023 at 7:28 AM EDT
Attorney Ben Crump speaks during a press conference at the site where George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. Crump has represented numerous families of people killed by police.
Stephen Maturen
/
Getty Images
File: Attorney Ben Crump speaks during a press conference at the site where George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis. Crump has represented numerous families of people killed by police.

The family of a man shot and killed by a Wallace police officer has retained a nationally-renowned civil rights attorney.

Last month, District Attorney Ernie Lee found that the officer who shot and killed James Lanier was justified in doing so.

Lee said the investigation showed that Lanier was naked and disturbing customers at the Express Mini Mart, spat on a clerk and was trying to fight with people.

Lanier’s family has retained Attorney Ben Crump, who has also represented the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and Andrew Brown Jr. Brown is the Elizabeth City man who was shot and killed by law enforcement in 2021.

Crump released a statement demanding that the Wallace Police release any and all video footage of the incident to the public and the family's attorneys.
Annette Weston-Riggs
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston-Riggs