Following his disturbing traffic stop with authorities on Sept. 8, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill has hired an impressive team of lawyers. One of them includes the attorney for George Floyd’s family following his death in 2020, TMZ Sports has reported.
On Monday morning, Hill’s original lawyer Julius B. Collins shared the news that he is now working with Jeffrey A. Neiman, Stephen B. Kelly Jr. and Devon M. Jacob. Jacob teamed up with civil rights attorney and activist Ben Crump in Floyd’s family’s civil case.
During Hill’s Sept. 8 encounter with Miami-Dade cops, the athlete was accosted and then briefly handcuffed. Officer Danny Torres also put his knee in Hill’s back during the incident outside of Hard Rock Stadium, which has led Hill and his legal team to demand the termination of Torres.
Torres is currently on administrative leave. During Hill’s first press conference after the incident, he explained to reporters he “could have been better” in the beginning of his interaction with officers. He quickly added: “Now does that give them the right to literally beat the dog out of me? Absolutely not.”
In addition to Torres being fired, Hill is also calling for systemic change when it comes to law enforcement. “Tyreek intends to continue the national movement for necessary police reform that George Floyd’s death started,” Hill’s attorney Devon M. Jacob said in a statement.
“Tyreek is demanding that Congress finally pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act.” The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act would essentially limit qualified immunity for officers in civil matters.
It would also lower the standard for conviction when police are being investigated for misconduct by federal prosecutors.
In a statement following the incident, the Miami Dolphins said they were “saddened by the overly aggressive and violent conducted directed towards [Hill].”