The City of Cleveland has filed a creditor’s claim against the estate of 12 year old Tamir Rice. The level of insult to Tamir’s family is beyond belief. I can’t imagine even the Ku Klux Klan being callous enough to send a bill after lynching a family member!

After the Cleveland police shot Tamir Rice in a park while holding a toy gun, the officers stood around him for four minutes, until an FBI agent arrived at the scene and gave the boy first aid.

In response to a lawsuit filed by the Rice family against Cleveland, the city claimed that Tamir and his family were responsible for his death and being shot by police when they filed the following responses in court:

“Plaintiffs’ decedent’s injuries, losses, and damages complained of, were directly and proximately caused by the failure of Plaintiffs’ decedent to exercise due care to avoid injury.”…  “injuries, losses, and damages complained of, were directly and proximately caused by the acts of Plaintiffs’ decedent, not this Defendant” … “Plaintiffs’ injuries, losses, and damages complained of, were directly and proximately caused by their own acts” …. “Plaintiffs’ claims are barred by the legal doctrines of comparative and contributory negligence. Plaintiffs’ claims are barred by the legal doctrine of assumption of risk.”

How does a twelve year old child assume the risk of his own death by playing with a toy gun? That response was so repulsive and generated such a negative response, Cleveland Mayor, Frank Jackson, apologized.

As insensitive as the lawsuit response was, it pales in comparison to sending this family a bill for murdering their child! Cleveland’s actions are unconscionable. The citizens of Cleveland need to removed any leader or administrator associated with this travesty of justice.  Hopefully, Lebron James, will find inspiration from Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance and finally speak up concerning the Tamir Rice incident.

Last month, people in Cleveland were calling on Lebron James to speak on the Tamir Rice situation, however, James responded that he was not up on the situation. This could have just as easily been Lebron’s son, brother or nephew. Police killed 223 unarmed people last year. As stated in our post, “First They Came,” when you don’t speak up for others, there may not be anyone to speak up for you.