Letters demand $15 million, say Irving officials worked to smear Ahmed Mohamed after clock arrest

As they threaten a lawsuit, Ahmed Mohamed’s family says that not only did police illegally interrogate the boy for bringing a homemade clock to high school, but that top officials later worked to “kneecap a kid in the media” to cover up their mistakes.

The smear effort made Ahmed the target of anti-Muslim conspiracy theorists and caused his family to flee the country for their own safety, the family’s lawyer claimed Monday in letters addressed to City Hall and Irving ISD—demanding apologies and a total of $15 millon to stave off a civil rights suit.

“Mayor Beth Van Duyne lied about Ahmed and his family, and she did it to an audience that is on the absolute fringe of American life,” attorney Kelly Hollingsworth wrote. “Van Duyne irreparably endangered the safety of the Ahmed family.”

City and school officials did not immediately comment on the letters or possible lawsuit, which has long been expected inside City Hall.

Read more: http://irvingblog.dallasnews.com/2015/11/letter-demands-5-million-and-an-apology-for-ahmeds-treatment-over-clock.html/

[font color=330099]The family does deserve an award for what occurred and the fact that they chose to relocate. However, that demand equates to a fine of about $75 from each citizen of Irving and seems excessive. That demand will likely exacerbate the tensions between the Muslim community and other citizens along with providing fodder for right wing pundits.[/font]