For many, if not most, of the high-profile civil rights cases in the 21st century, attorney Benjamin Crump has played a pivotal role. Now Crump is trying his hand at something new: writing fiction. On the last day of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, Crump was joined onstage with UNM professor Deleso Alford for an informal dialogue entitled “An Evening of Story, Justice & Humanity” that touched on many aspects of civil right and justice.There was also a personal milestone for Crump to talk about: he learned last week that his debut novel, “Worse Than a Lie,” is on The New York Times bestsellers’ list.Not surprisingly, the central character in the book — and in what will be a series of “civil rights legal thrillers” — attorney Bo Lee Cooper.”Now more than ever in America, we could use civil rights education,” Crump told KOAT. “You know, it’s very ironic that I wrote this book five years ago when we were working on George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery’s cases. But really, when we think about what’s happening in Minneapolis right now, it’s life imitating art.”Crump said that in the novel, someone who has a permit to carry a gun is shot 10 times by four police officers, and it’s captured on video — much like what happened to Alex Pretti five years after the book was written.”And in both situations, you seem to have a denial of due process and a rush to judgment to justify the actions of the officers,” Crump said. “So really, now more than ever, we have to pay attention to civil rights because our Constitution requires us to do so.”Crump said the first words in the novel are indicative of the message he shared with the UNM students: “If you endeavor to achieve truth and justice, it is not for the faint of heart.””So I want to inspire the next generation of civil rights lawyers and social justice warriors with this book,” Crump said. “But I want them to know that it won’t be a bed of roses. There will be trials and tribulations.”
For many, if not most, of the high-profile civil rights cases in the 21st century, attorney Benjamin Crump has played a pivotal role.
Now Crump is trying his hand at something new: writing fiction.
On the last day of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, Crump was joined onstage with UNM professor Deleso Alford for an informal dialogue entitled “An Evening of Story, Justice & Humanity” that touched on many aspects of civil right and justice.
There was also a personal milestone for Crump to talk about: he learned last week that his debut novel, “Worse Than a Lie,” is on The New York Times bestsellers’ list.
Not surprisingly, the central character in the book — and in what will be a series of “civil rights legal thrillers” — attorney Bo Lee Cooper.
“Now more than ever in America, we could use civil rights education,” Crump told KOAT. “You know, it’s very ironic that I wrote this book five years ago when we were working on George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery’s cases. But really, when we think about what’s happening in Minneapolis right now, it’s life imitating art.”
Crump said that in the novel, someone who has a permit to carry a gun is shot 10 times by four police officers, and it’s captured on video — much like what happened to Alex Pretti five years after the book was written.
“And in both situations, you seem to have a denial of due process and a rush to judgment to justify the actions of the officers,” Crump said. “So really, now more than ever, we have to pay attention to civil rights because our Constitution requires us to do so.”
Crump said the first words in the novel are indicative of the message he shared with the UNM students: “If you endeavor to achieve truth and justice, it is not for the faint of heart.”
“So I want to inspire the next generation of civil rights lawyers and social justice warriors with this book,” Crump said. “But I want them to know that it won’t be a bed of roses. There will be trials and tribulations.”
