Ben Crump: The famous lawyer who has turned to fiction to get to the truth

One lawyer has been at the centre of the biggest civil rights cases in modern US history.

Ben Crump has represented Trayvon Martin, Breanna Taylor and George Floyd – whose killings sparked major protests against racism and police violence around the world.

With the cadence and rhetoric of a black southern preacher – Mr Crump has used press conferences and movie cameos alike to bring the stories of black victims of wrongful death into America’s national conversation.

He’s just taken on another high profile case – the killing of 1 year old Kohen Wiley from Mississippi, by police who were responding to shoplifting allegations.

Drawing on his long experience advocating for racial justice – he’s just published his first novel. ‘Worse than a lie’ is a legal thriller, telling the story of a former Black police officer who becomes the victim of police brutality.

Producers: Marcia Mascoll and Beth Tesfaye
Camera: Stephen Hird