SAN ANTONIO — Ben Crump, a prominent civil rights and personal injury attorney has been retained by the parents of Erik Cantu, who remains hospitalized this week.
Cantu, 17, was eating in a McDonald’s parking lot, when he was approached by San Antonio Police Officer James Brennand and shot while eating a hamburger sitting in his car.
Brennand was fired on October 4 and has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant. Erik Cantu remains on life support.
On Saturday, three days after it was announced that Crump was retained by the Cantu family, the family gave an update on the teen's condition saying, "Erik still remains on life support for his lungs, but we are seeing improvement. Any small progress seems so big to us. Erik is quite the miracle.”
Attorney Crump issued the following statement:
"It should go without saying that our children should be able to eat a meal in peace without being gunned down by police, but here we are –– yet again. Erik was unarmed and simply eating a cheeseburger when this officer violated his fourth amendment rights by opening his car door, violently accosting and shooting at him ten times. These charges are woefully inadequate considering the level of violence that this officer inflicted on the victims in the car."
“We lift Erik and his family up in prayer as he fights for his life, and we will continue to push for justice in his name.”
Crump specializes in civil rights and catastrophic personal injury cases such as wrongful death lawsuits. His practice has focused on cases such as Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and George Floyd.
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