Family of Cleveland man killed on video files lawsuit against Facebook
01/29/2018 2:50 pm PST
By Jen Steer, WJW
CLEVELAND -- (WJW) -- The family of murder victim Robert Godwin Sr. filed a lawsuit against Facebook earlier this month.
Police said Steve Stephens, 37, shot and killed Godwin on East 93rd Street in Cleveland on Easter Sunday. Stephens recorded the crime and posted video of it on his Facebook page. In a series of other live videos, he claimed to kill more people, but Cleveland police said Godwin was the only victim.
Stephens was found dead in Erie, Pennsylvania from a self-inflicted gunshot wound days after the homicide.
On Jan. 19, Godwin's family filed a suit against Facebook in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. The lawsuit accuses the social media giant of negligence, failure to warn and wrongful death.
Court documents claim Facebook has a unique relationship with each of its users, knowing behaviors, intentions and likes. The suit also states the company had an obligation to notify law enforcement when Stephens started making violent threats, but decided not to act.
According to the lawsuit, Facebook "was intentional, willful, malicious, in bad faith and in reckless disregard for the right of Mr. Godwin."
Stephens posted a video at 11:09 a.m. on April 16, 2017, stating he planned to kill. At 1:22 p.m. his account was disabled.
FULL STORY: Family of Cleveland man killed on video files lawsuit against Facebook - WJW