Left to right: State Rep. Kam Buckner and Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump
State Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, joined the family of Chicago native and former University of Illinois and NFL football star Glenn Foster, Jr., and famed Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump to announce a wrongful death lawsuit on the 2nd anniversary of Foster’s murder while in Sherriff’s custody in Pickens County Jail in West Central Alabama on Dec. 6, 2021.
Glenn Foster was born and raised on the Southside of Chicago. He graduated from Mount Carmel High School and the University of Illinois and was a standout football player at both schools. He went on to play with the New Orleans Saints. Foster, Jr. was a business owner, a husband and a father to four young girls.
Foster, Jr. was taken into police custody in Pickens County, Alabama on Dec. 4 after a speeding violation. Foster, Jr. died two days later after being found unresponsive in the back of a police cruiser upon arrival at a medical facility.
An independent autopsy performed on the remains of Foster, Jr. found evidence of neck compression and strangulation and that Foster, Jr. did not die of natural causes.
Buckner and Foster, Jr. first met through their affiliations with University of Illinois Football.
“Glenn was like a younger brother to me,” said Buckner. “His family deserves justice, answers and recourse. A beautiful person walked into the Pickens County jail alive and did not exit it the same way and someone needs to be held accountable for that. Glenn was more than just a stellar football player. He was a fantastic husband, father, son, business owner and community pillar, and to many like me, he was a fantastic friend. Upon Glenn’s death, I made a promise to his family to do whatever I could to help bring them the justice they are demanding and deserve.”
The press conference will take place at the Hugo L. Black United States Courthouse in Birmingham at 9:30 a.m.
