The estate of Leonard Cure, an exonerated man fatally shot by a Georgia deputy, has filed a $16 million lawsuit against a south Georgia county.
It comes after attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels announced that the family was pushing for legal action in December. The lawsuit is against the Camden County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and Buck Aldridge, the deputy who killed Cure in October 2023.
Cure, who was wrongfully incarcerated for nearly two decades, was killed after being pulled over on suspicion of speeding on Interstate 95 near the Georgia-Florida line. During the traffic stop, Cure and Aldridge got into a scuffle, leading the deputy to gun down Cure.
Cure was also shocked with a Taser multiple times during the interaction, which was caught on body camera footage and sparked national concern.
Daniels and Crump have previously pointed out Aldridge’s alleged history of misconduct throughout his career and the culture of excessive force at the CCSO.
“On the one hand, this case is about Leonard Cure, a man who was wrongfully imprisoned and ultimately killed by law enforcement sworn to serve and protect him. But, on the other hand, it’s about much more than that,” Daniels said in the statement.
According to the complaint obtained by Atlanta Black Star, Aldridge was fired from the Kingsland Police Department in 2017 for violating the use of force policy. It alleges that when Sheriff Jim Proctor hired Aldridge the following year, he was aware that the deputy “had a propensity for violence.”
It also claims that Proctor failed to discipline or terminate Aldridge after he was involved in cases of unlawful use of force while working for the agency. The lawsuit highlights a June 2022 incident involving a man identified as Waymon Cash. It states that not only did Aldridge use a Taser on him, but also struck him in the face while he was not resisting.
The suit also gives details about other cases where people were allegedly beaten, denied medical care, and suffered severe injuries at the hands of deputies from CCSO. It argued that the officers received little to no consequences for their actions.
“This isn’t some isolated incident. We’re talking about an officer with a long history of brutality and violence within a department with a long history of brutality and violence. They have blood on their hands, and it’s time to hold them accountable,” Daniels added.
