Lee Merritt
{{short description|US civil rights lawyer and activist}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Lee Merritt
| image = LeeMerritt 7-28-24 (2).jpg
| caption = Merritt in 2024
| birth_name = Stacy Sylvester Lee Merritt
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|2|1}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Democratic
| education = {{plainlist|
}}
S. Lee Merritt (born Stacy Sylvester Lee Merritt) is an American civil rights lawyer and activist, most known for his work on racial justice issues.{{Cite web|url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/power-issue-s-lee-merritt-taking-black-lives-matter-courtroom/|title=The Power Issue: S. Lee Merritt Is Taking Black Lives Matter to the Courtroom|date=November 13, 2018|website=Texas Monthly}}
On March 20, 2021, Merritt announced on Twitter his proposal to run for Texas attorney general, saying "Texas deserves an attorney general that will fight for the constitutional rights of all citizens." He suspended his campaign on March 10, 2022, and endorsed Rochelle Mercedes Garza as the Democratic candidate.{{cite web |last1=Barragán |first1=James |last2=Zhang |first2=Andrew |title=Democrat Lee Merritt suspends campaign for attorney general nine days after election day, clearing path for runoff |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2022/03/10/texas-attorney-general-election-lee-merritt-runoff/ |website=The Texas Tribune |access-date=March 11, 2022 |language=en |date=March 10, 2022}}
Early life and education
Merritt was born on February 1, 1983{{cite web | url=https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoH_b-OgGQw/?igshid=ZDFmNTE4Nzc%3D | title=Instagram }} in South Central Los Angeles and as a child moved to north Florida.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2018/06/02/lee-merritt-civil-rights-attorney-on-the-rise-faces-a-moment-of-reckoning/|title=Lee Merritt, civil rights attorney on the rise, faces a moment of reckoning|date=June 2, 2018|website=Dallas News}}
Merritt graduated cum laude from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and attended Temple University’s James Beasley School of Law, graduating in 2012.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mceldrewyoung.com/team/s-lee-merritt/|title=S. Lee Merritt}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/lee-merritt-lawyer-roots-100-most-influential-police-brutality-20171109.html|title=Philly lawyer and social activist Lee Merritt, one of '100 Most Influential'|first=Valerie|last=Russ|website=inquirer.com|date=November 9, 2017 }} While at Temple, Merritt participated in the trial advocacy program.
Career
Following graduation from Morehouse College, Merritt taught in Camden, New Jersey through the Teach for America program.
After graduating from Temple University, Merritt began his career at The Cochran Firm in their Philadelphia office and at McEldrew Young.
Merritt founded the Merritt Law Firm, which represents victims of police brutality, official corruption, corporate discrimination, and hate crimes. Based in Philadelphia, the firm takes on civil rights cases nationwide.{{Cite web|url=https://leemerrittesq.com/about/|title=About}}
=Deandre Harris=
{{main|Assault of DeAndre Harris}}
On August 12, 2017, Deandre Harris was beaten in a parking garage by six men following a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia; Merritt served as Harris' attorney in the case.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/us/deandre-harris-charlottesville-charged.html|title=Black Man Beaten During Charlottesville Rally Charged With Felony|first=Daniel|last=Victor|work=The New York Times |date=October 10, 2017|via=NYTimes.com}}
=Jordan Edwards=
{{main|Murder of Jordan Edwards}}
On April 29, 2017, Jordan Edwards, a 15-year-old African American male, was fatally shot in the back of the head by police officer Roy Oliver in Balch Springs, Texas, while riding in the passenger's seat of a vehicle leaving a house party. Merritt served as the Edwards' family attorney.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/01/us/dallas-police-teen-shooting.html|title=Police Account Changes in Killing of Texas 15-Year-Old|first1=Liam|last1=Stack|first2=Christine|last2=Hauser|work=The New York Times |date=May 1, 2017|via=NYTimes.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2017/05/02/15-year-old-s-brothers-watched-him-die-after-balch-springs-police-shooting-family-says/|title=15-year-old's brothers watched him die after Balch Springs police shooting, family says|date=May 2, 2017|website=Dallas News}}
=Marlin Gipson=
Merritt represented 20-year-old Marlin Gipson after he was arrested then charged for failing to identify himself and resisting arrest. Gipson was distributing business cards for his lawn care service, but was misidentified as the suspect in a local string of burglaries.{{Cite web|url=https://www.houstonpress.com/news/charges-dropped-against-marlin-gipson-questioned-by-harris-county-deputy-while-mowing-lawns-9655798|title=Charges Dropped Against Black Harris County Student Questioned by Cop While Mowing Lawns|first=Meagan|last=Flynn|date=July 31, 2017|website=Houston Press}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/both-sides-defend-themselves-in-controversial-arrest-of-man-mowing-lawn/285-459755883|title=Both sides defend themselves in controversial arrest of man mowing lawn|website=khou.com|date=July 26, 2017 }}
=Atatiana Jefferson=
{{main|Shooting of Atatiana Jefferson}}
Atatiana Jefferson was fatally shot in her home by a police officer in Fort Worth, Texas, United States, in the early morning of October 12, 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/police-officer-shooting-white-fort-worth-police-officer-fatally-shoots-black-woman-in-her-own-home-today-2019-10-12/|title=Fort Worth police officer fatally shoots woman in her own home|website=CBS News|date=October 12, 2019 }} Merritt served as the family's attorney in this case.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2019/10/15/atatiana-jefferson-pointed-gun-out-window-before-fort-worth-officer-killed-her-nephew-told-authorities/|title=Atatiana Jefferson pointed gun at window before Fort Worth officer killed her, nephew told authorities|date=October 15, 2019|website=Dallas News}}
= Ahmaud Arbery=
{{main|Murder of Ahmaud Arbery}}
Merritt is currently serving as the lawyer for the family of Ahmaud Arbery,{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/25/us/ahmaud-arbery-doj-hate-crime-investigation/index.html|title=Ahmaud Arbery killing being investigated as federal hate crime, family attorney says|author1=Angela Barajas |author2=Martin Savidge|website=CNN|date=May 26, 2020 }} who was jogging through Brunswick, Georgia, on February 23, 2020, and murdered by two white men who claimed Arbery looked like a suspect in a string of local burglaries.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/07/us/ahmaud-arbery-arrests-mcmichaels/index.html|title=Two men involved in fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery face murder charges, GBI says|author1=Steve Almasy |author2=Angela Barajas|website=CNN|date=May 8, 2020 }} Alongside the lawyers for the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, Merritt plans to bring the case to the United Nations.{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/5850623/malcolm-x-human-rights/|title=A Plan to Take the George Floyd Case to the U.N. Highlights a Decades-Old Tension Between Civil Rights and Human Rights|magazine=Time}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/889n3v/george-floyd-ahmaud-arbery-and-breonna-taylors-lawyers-want-the-un-to-look-into-their-cases|title=Lawyers for George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor Want the UN to Look Into Their Cases|first=Trone|last=Dowd|date=May 29, 2020}}
Activism
In 2017, Merritt appeared before the National Black Caucus of State Legislators 41st Annual Conference on a Town Hall panel to discuss mass incarceration. “Mass incarceration is a problem that must be addressed otherwise we become a part of the problem due to inaction,” said Merritt in the panel.{{Cite web|url=https://nbcsl.org/media-center/news/item/2077-national-black-caucus-of-state-legislators-hold-41st-annual-conference-in-indianapolis.html|title=NBCSL | National Black Caucus of State Legislators Hold 41st Annual Conference in Indianapolis|website=nbcsl.org}}
Following the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd in 2020, Merritt made various television appearances alongside Arbery's mother to call attention to the broad issues of racial bias in policing and American society at large.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/george-floyd-protests-06-04-20/index.html|title=June 4 George Floyd protest news|author1=Jessie Yeung|author2=Steve George|author3=Laura Smith-Spark|author4=Peter Wilkinson |author5=Melissa Macaya|author6=Meg Wagner |author7=Mike Hayes |author8=Fernando Alfonso III|date=June 4, 2020|website=CNN}}
On March 20, 2021, Merritt announced on Twitter his proposal to run for Texas attorney general, saying "Texas deserves an attorney general that will fight for the constitutional rights of all citizens."{{Cite web|date=March 22, 2021|title=Lawyer Lee Merritt says he'll run for Texas attorney general|url=https://apnews.com/article/ken-paxton-atatiana-jefferson-texas-dallas-3f5cf8b11d0518c091150ae9a421c99c|access-date=March 22, 2021|website=AP NEWS}} He suspended his campaign on March 10, 2022, and endorsed Rochelle Garza as the Democratic Party candidate. Garza was defeated in the general election.
Awards and recognition
In 2017, Merritt was No. 8 on The Root 100, a list honoring the top 10 most influential African Americans in the country ages 18 to 45. In his biography, Merritt is described as an "emerging as a new leader in the fight for racial justice, standing on the front lines of making sure people know that black lives matter."{{Cite web|url=http://interactives.theroot.com/root-100-2017/|title=The Root 100 – The Most Influential African Americans In 2017|website=The Root}}
References
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Category:African-American activists
Category:21st-century African-American lawyers
Category:21st-century American lawyers
Category:American civil rights lawyers
Category:Morehouse College alumni
Category:Activists from Los Angeles
Category:Lawyers from Los Angeles