Kim Kardashian has responded to being added to a new libel and slander lawsuit. She wrongly posted a photograph of a New York man on social media, incorrectly identifying him as a death row inmate found guilty of a double murder in Texas.
While the men share the same name, Ivan Cantu, the plaintiff says that his image was used and has damaged his reputation as he does not reside in Texas and has never been convicted of murder.
The man Kim meant to post was sentenced to death for the fatal shootings of his cousin and his cousin’s fiancé, James Mosqueda and Amy Kitchen, in Dallas.
“It was a simple mistake of using the public photo of another man with the same name to promote Kim’s longstanding commitment to the cause of criminal justice reform,” the reality star’s attorney Michael Rhodes, told Us Weekly. “The image was taken down almost immediately once the error was discovered. We’d prefer to solve this without litigation, but of course will defend Kim as needed.”
Cantu died by lethal injection on February 28, 2024.
Cantu maintained his innocence up until the time of his death.
“We took up the cause of this man because mistakes were made at his trial,” anti-death penalty advocate Sister Helen Prejean said in a statement following his execution. “Remember, by speaking up and taking action for Ivan together, we are bending the arc toward justice and are one step closer to ending the death penalty.”