Relatives of an exonerated man who was shot and killed by a Georgia county deputy in October have filed an intent to sue for $16 million, attorneys announced on Tuesday, Dec. 5.
National civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels discussed the legal action with Leonard Cure’s family in front of the Camden County Courthouse in Georgia.
“We’re filing a notice of intent against Camden County for the wrongful death of Leonard Cure for $16 million,” Crump said at a press conference. “That number is significant to the family because it represents a million dollars for every year he was wrongfully convicted.”
Cure spent nearly two decades in prison for an armed robbery he did not commit and was released in 2020. He was granted $812,000 earlier this year as a relief to help move forward with his life.
However, he died in October 2023 following a traffic stop by a Camden County deputy on Interstate 95 near the Georgia-Florida line. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, he was ordered to step out of the vehicle and informed he would be taken into custody.
Officials said when Cure “failed to comply,” he was shocked with a Taser by the deputy. After Cure assaulted the deputy, he was shocked again and then eventually shot. Graphic dashcam video obtained by Atlanta Black Star shows the deputy pulling Cure over for speeding.
“Put your hand behind your back, or you’re getting “tased,” the deputy said.
“Why am I getting tased?” Cure asked.
“Because you are under arrest for speeding and reckless driving,” the deputy responded.
“I’m not driving. Nobody was hurt. How was I speeding?” Cure said before the deputy claimed he was going 100 mph. “So that’s a speeding ticket, right?”
“Sir, tickets in the state of Georgia are criminal offenses,” the deputy said.
Moments later, Cure lifted one of his arms, and the deputy shocked him in the back. While stunned, Cure turned around toward the officer, and a scuffle ensued as he tried to get the Taser out of his hand. The sheriff’s deputy pulled out a baton to try to loosen Cure’s grip and eventually shot him.
Cure had just purchased a home in Fairburn, Georgia, and he was spending time with his family: “Things were looking up until he had this encounter with this sheriff’s deputy,” Crump added, referring to Buck Aldridge, whom the family also plans to sue.
Aldridge is currently on administrative leave. The attorneys argued that he should not have been employed in the first place due to his history of misconduct. Aldridge was previously terminated from the Kingsland Police Department after facing disciplinary action several times for excessive force, according to The Associated Press. A 2022 infraction captured on video reportedly shows Aldridge assaulting a motorist following a chase.
“Camden County had plenty of notice about the propensity of this officer,” Crump said. “We are fighting for Ms. Mary because she said, ‘I just got my son back.'”
