Transcript: Attorney Benjamin Crump on "Face the Nation," August 30, 2020
The following is a transcript of an interview with Jacob Blake family attorney Benjamin Crump that aired Sunday, August 30, 2020, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Benjamin Crump. He is the attorney representing the family of Jacob Blake. He's also represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, and he joins us from Tallahassee, Florida. Mr. Crump, if you could respond to the news that we just heard from Daniel Cameron, the attorney general. He said that they now have the ballistics report from the FBI, which suggests something is happening, forward movement with this case after five months. What are you expecting?
ATTORNEY BENJAMIN CRUMP: Well, MARGARET, thank you for having me, and that is welcome news, because since Breonna Taylor was executed in the sanctity of her own home by this no-knock warrant that was dangerously executed, we have been trying to get answers, our legal team. And as for her mother, who every day demanded from the police department, why did they execute her daughter in her own apartment? And they've gotten no answers. It's just been delay tactic, delay tactic, delay tactics. We've been told when they get the ballistics report, that's what they needed to wrap up this investigation and finally give them answers that they so desperately want and the community so desperately needs to try to heal. So at this point, we are hoping that this conclusion will be sooner rather than later, because justice delayed is justice denied.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Are you suggesting that the attorney general was deliberately delaying this? Is that what you are suggesting here?
CRUMP: Well, I know Breonna Taylor's family is distrustful of the entire system. You must remember, MARGAREY, the police report, this three page police report erroneously reported that there was no forced entry and that there were no injuries, even though Breonna Taylor's body was mutilated with eight bullets while she was practically naked. And so this is the conspiracy that the family believe was at the beginning to sweep her death under the rug. So you have to forgive them from not trust in any law enforcement officials right now and why Black people all over America are distrustful, because when it is fitting for them, they release information very quickly. When it's something that holds the police accountable, it's we got this long, exhaustive investigation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about Jacob Blake, whose- whose family you are working with. How is he doing? And how are the three children who were in his car when they watched their father being shot?
CRUMP: MARGARET, thank you for asking about Jacob. Obviously, he suffered catastrophic injuries. A bullet pierced his spinal cord, a bullet shattered his vertebrae. A bullet went into his intestines where he lost most of his intestines. A bullet went into his colon where he lost his colon. A bullet went into his kidney. Thank God they were able to save that. He has two holes in the stomach. He has a hole in his arm from a bullet. He's lost control of the bowel movements. He has no functions of his male organs. And for the rest of his life, he's going to be a shell of himself. And his three little boys were in that car, ages eight years old, five years old and three years old. And they witnessed all of this. So you can only imagine the psychological issues these little babies are going to have.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah.
CRUMP: And his eight year old son was celebrating his birthday. So imagine what the rest of his birthdays are going to be each year.
MARGARET BRENNNAN: Our thoughts are with his children. I want to ask you, the president has announced he plans to go to Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, and he will meet with law enforcement. Has the Blake family been contacted? Do they- are they open to meeting with the president? Have they been asked?
CRUMP: The Blake family has not been contacted at this time. The Blake family is very respectful of all our elected officials and as his mother says, she prays for all of our elected officials. So we will see from whether the President Trump's administration or Vice President Biden campaign and him and Kamala Harris, the senator, have already spoken for about an hour to the Blake family. But they are just focused right now, MARGARET, on trying to march for their son because he may never be able to stand up for himself unless a miracle happens.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. Crump, thank you very much for your time today.
CRUMP: Thank you.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We will be right back with Dr. Scott Gottlieb. Stay with us.
