Family Seeks Justice as Attorneys Demand 16M dollar for Black Man Wrongfully Killed by Georgia Deputy. The family of Leonard Cure, a Black man fatally shot by a Georgia police during a traffic stop, informed the sheriff’s office of their $16 million lawsuit. The lawsuit raises issues about excessive force, employment processes, and Leonard Cure’s unfortunate life.
Civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels addressed the media, stating that the requested $16 million represents $1 million for each year Cure spent wrongfully imprisoned in Florida before his release. Cure’s life took a tragic turn when Staff Sgt. Buck Aldridge of the Camden County Sheriff’s Office shot him during a violent struggle on the shoulder of Interstate 95.
Georgia mandates formal notice to government agencies before filing civil lawsuits. The Cure family’s attorneys have mailed a letter, giving Camden County 30 days to settle the case out of court. Cure’s mother, Mary Cure, expressed the pain of spending the holidays without her son and vowed to seek justice.
Family Seeks Justice as Attorneys Demand 16M dollar for Black Man Wrongfully Killed by Georgia Deputy.She said, “No, the money doesn’t mean a damned thing to me. I would rather have my child back.”
A normal speeding and reckless driving stop led to the incident. Dash and body camera footage revealed Aldridge shocking Cure with a Taser after he resisted being handcuffed. The situation escalated, culminating in Aldridge shooting Cure point-blank. Cure’s family argues that his resistance may have been influenced by psychological trauma resulting from his wrongful imprisonment in Florida for an armed robbery he did not commit.
The lawyers for Cure’s family assert that Aldridge should never have been hired by Sheriff Jim Proctor, considering his troubled history. Aldridge had been fired by the neighboring Kingsland Police Department in 2017 for using excessive force, with three disciplinary actions against him. Despite this, the sheriff hired him nine months later. Video evidence from a June 2022 chase showed Aldridge punching a driver without any reported disciplinary consequences.
Ben Crump expressed his concerns, stating, “We don’t believe he should have ever been a deputy at this point when you look at the history of his violating the civil rights of citizens.” The attorneys argue that Aldridge’s track record should have raised red flags, questioning the sheriff’s decision to employ him.
Captain Larry Bruce, the sheriff’s spokesman, stated that the department had not received the attorneys’ letter as of Tuesday. Aldridge, currently on administrative leave, awaits a decision by Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney Keith Higgins on potential criminal charges.
Attorney Adrienne Browning, representing Aldridge, declined to comment, reiterating that he acted in self-defense. Three experts reviewing the shooting video found it legal but criticized Aldridge’s initial approach and lack of de-escalation efforts.
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