Noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump has inked a seven-figure deal to author a series of crime novels for Bantam Books.
Under the deal, Bantam Books will publish the first two installments of a crime fiction series written by Crump, who has defended and won significant settlements for the families of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Henrietta Lacks, the residents of Flint, Michigan and several others.
The series centers on Beau Lee Cooper, a Black civil rights attorney who “tackles heart-wrenching cases of corruption and injustice while celebrating Black love, joy and resilience.” As a press release explains, the two novels are informed by Crump’s decades of courtroom experience and his personal revelations, written to “emphasize the power of blood ties, community bonds in the face of violence and offer hope for a better future.”
“I feel it’s important to introduce a charismatic figure to the world who shows the realities of the legal landscape and the justice system through the eyes and experiences of the marginalized and the voiceless,” Crump said in a statement. “A person of color who allows readers to step into an expansive universe of characters they may never otherwise notice or understand and, in the process, hopefully be inspired to broaden their perspectives and even decide to play a part in moving society towards true justice for all.”
North American publishing rights were sold by UTA and Artistry Collective’s Cameron S. Mitchell to Bantam Books executive editor Jenny Chen.
The book deal is Crump’s latest foray into entertainment. He was the subject of the 2022 Netflix documentary “Civil” and, earlier this year, produced and narrated a documentary short film titled “How to Sue the Klan: The Story of the Chattanooga Five.” The short tells the story of five Black women from Chattanooga who took on the Ku Klux Klan in a historic 1982 civil case, fighting to hold them accountable for their crimes and bring justice to their community. Ultimately, their victory set a legal precedent that continues to inspire the ongoing fight against organized hate. “How to Sue the Klan” was an official selection at the Social Justice Now Film Festival in February and will screen at ABFF and the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival later this year.
Bantam Books is an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Crump is represented by UTA and managed by Artistry Collective’s Mitchell.
