WEBVTT 00:00.900 --> 00:07.080 Ben Crump, best known for his work as an attorney working several high-profile civil rights cases 00:07.220 --> 00:12.420 including representing the families of Trayvon Martin, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd 00:12.760 --> 00:17.400 But now he's adding novelists to his repertoire, going on tour with his new book 00:17.860 --> 00:21.440 Worse Than a Lie, including a stop right here in New York City tonight 00:21.980 --> 00:32.500 Civil rights attorney Ben Crump joins us now. And, Ben, as you join us, you come on the morning that your dear friend and your mentor, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, passes away 00:32.680 --> 00:38.220 If you could share with us some of your memories and describe your relationship with Jesse Jackson with us this morning 00:38.300 --> 00:41.980 We're so sorry, with the loss of your friend, of course. No, thank you, Tina. Thank you, Rosanna 00:42.740 --> 00:51.740 Jesse Jackson was a giant of a man. He wasn't just my friend and mentor, but he was my fraternity brother in Omega Psi Phi fraternity 00:51.740 --> 01:05.660 And he always mentored me even before Trayvon Martin case. And the things I remember most about Jesse Jackson, especially in times what we're dealing with in America today 01:05.980 --> 01:11.480 he would always say, you don't drown because the water is deep 01:11.760 --> 01:35.577 You drown because you stop kicking. Let's never, ever stop kicking. We have so much we can do in this life together And as he said because I am somebody he would tell everybody that no matter how people try to put you down marginalize you say you don matter Jesse Jackson said always remember I am somebody 01:35.757 --> 01:41.857 And you have to tell it to yourself a thousand times a day. And you collaborated with him on some of your civil rights cases 01:42.077 --> 01:46.177 What were some things you learned by just working alongside of him in that fight for civil rights 01:46.177 --> 01:54.417 You know, all of them, Trayvon, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, him and Reverend Sharpton and us often collaborated 01:55.017 --> 02:03.297 Reverend Jackson always will find just the most common basic concepts to portray hope 02:03.797 --> 02:12.197 He said the one thing they tried to argue about not letting blacks and Hispanics integrate baseball 02:12.197 --> 02:18.037 They said it would bring down the quality of Major League Baseball if they let them play 02:19.017 --> 02:24.817 Jesse Jackson said, we didn't know how good baseball could be until we let everybody play the game 02:25.257 --> 02:30.337 America won't know how good we could really be until we let everybody have a seat at the table 02:30.597 --> 02:34.577 That was Jesse Jackson. I have to say, he's been on our show a number of times 02:34.717 --> 02:52.975 I've had the privilege of meeting and speaking with him. And even in his later years as you know he was fighting Parkinson and a few other ailments He never let it get you know he barreled through He was a fighter to the very end Yes ma 02:52.975 --> 02:57.475 What was your last conversations like with him? Oh, man, it was special 02:57.595 --> 03:02.395 And I'm sure he enjoyed eating at your restaurant as well, Rosanna. He did. He did go to Fresco, yeah 03:03.435 --> 03:09.315 No, I saw Reverend Jackson in the last couple of years. He actually was helping us with cases 03:09.315 --> 03:14.335 Sonia Massey, the young lady who got killed by the police in our home, shot in the face 03:14.755 --> 03:23.595 Reverend Jackson came out even though he was, you know, trying to communicate as he did 03:24.235 --> 03:34.715 And it was more like whispers. And he was whispering encouragement that we deserve truth and we deserve justice 03:34.715 --> 03:41.415 And those were the things Jesse Jackson taught to me at the very end 03:41.515 --> 03:50.555 In these last moments, he kept saying, keep fighting for justice. Well, you know, rest in peace, Reverend Jackson, 84, young 03:50.755 --> 03:57.155 Still young. But I have something in front of me right now because, you know, you are a big civil rights attorney 03:57.295 --> 04:02.035 And now you're a novelist. Congratulations. The book is out now, Worse Than a Lie 04:02.155 --> 04:06.495 Yes, ma'am. What's worse than a lie? I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WORSE THAN A LIE 04:06.495 --> 04:28.972 I DON KNOW IF THERE WAS ANYTHING WORSE THAN A LIE WELL WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY MY GRANDMOTHER TOLD ME ROSANNA WHAT WORSE THAN A LIE TO TELL THE TRUTH AND HAVE When I was a little boy my grandmother told me Rosanna what worse than a lie To tell the truth and have nobody believe you And in this civil rights legal thriller we see that it goes to such levels when you in court fighting for justice against a broken system 04:28.972 --> 04:39.972 And this is a legal thriller that introduces our protagonist, this civil rights heroic superhero lawyer named Bo Lee Cooper 04:40.272 --> 04:46.112 And when he takes on the case of this black police officer who's shot by four white police officers 04:46.372 --> 04:52.712 he understands very early on, to beat a broken system, he's going to need more than just the truth 04:53.212 --> 04:58.412 A lot of twists, a lot of turns, and at the end, it will have your jaw dropped, Rosanna 04:58.412 --> 05:02.532 Well, it sounds like somebody we know, Ben Crump. Yes, with this bully, Cooper 05:02.772 --> 05:07.872 I mean, the civil rights attorney, obviously, you know, you really hit home 05:08.792 --> 05:13.672 There's some similarities, some similarities, Gina. Anyway, the book is out now 05:13.752 --> 05:18.532 You can get it everywhere. Everywhere. And I know everybody wants you today 05:18.672 --> 05:24.212 They want to talk to you, Ben Crump. It's going to be a bestseller. Are you ready? I'm bracing myself 05:24.492 --> 05:28.052 When it becomes a movie, I'll come back on Good Day in New York. Okay 05:28.412 --> 05:31.932 I can't wait to read it. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you all for having me 05:32.012 --> 05:35.112 Thanks for the condolences. Thank you. Our condolences to you and your family