L. Chris Stewart
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Chris Stewart speaks with WBAL-TV after federal prosecutors indicted Synergy, the owner of the ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, for allegedly misleading the NTSB with false records and statements. Stewart calls the DOJ's findings heartbreaking, saying that without the criminal charges the purposeful disruption of materials and the true cause of the tragedy may never have come to light. He says the development is encouraging for the victims' families as the civil case continues.

Chris Stewart appears on WJZ-TV after federal prosecutors indicted Synergy Marine, operator of the Dali cargo ship, alleging the company covered up its use of an unauthorized manual flushing pump that starved the ship's generators of fuel and triggered the blackout that led to the Key Bridge collapse. The indictment also individually charges Dali technical superintendent Christian Kongnaer, who allegedly lied to the NTSB and remains in India while the U.S. Attorney pursues extradition. Stewart calls the alleged falsified safety records and certifications heartbreaking for the victims' families and says that without DOJ's intervention the truth about the tragedy may never have surfaced. Maryland has agreed to settle with the ship's owner and operator for $2.25 billion, while Synergy could face up to $10 billion in criminal penalties ahead of the June 1 civil trial.

Chris Stewart appears on WJZ-TV ahead of the June 1 federal trial that will determine the Dali owner's liability for the Key Bridge disaster. Grace Ocean and operator Synergy Marine are invoking an 1851 maritime law — passed after the Titanic — to try to cap their liability at roughly $44 million, the value of the ship and its cargo, against billions in damages. The bench trial before Judge James Bredar is expected to span 18 days, with 14 days of evidence alone. Multiple crew members, including the Dali's captain, pleaded the Fifth across six hours and 300 pages of depositions, and an entire engine control room chain — from chief engineer down to the oiler — has refused to testify. An NTSB investigation traced the blackout to a single loose wire; Bredar has ruled the final NTSB report inadmissible, but the owner is seeking to introduce a post-incident inspection and has sued the ship's manufacturer over alleged defective electrical systems. Stewart says the case comes down to a great judge, a great legal team, and a great cause.

FOX 5 followed up on attorney L. Chris Stewart's Georgia Supreme Court argument that BioLab should pay for ongoing medical monitoring for Rockdale County residents exposed to harmful chemicals during the 2024 BioLab plant fire. The fire forced more than 17,000 residents to evacuate and 70,000 more to shelter in place as smoke spread across the area. BioLab's attorneys called the claim unprecedented under state law, arguing liability requires proof of a current physical injury, not future risk. Stewart's team is asking the court to provide testing for victims and "for people that don't have manifest symptoms" yet. If the court rules in Stewart's clients' favor, the case will affect how companies across Georgia handle future exposure-related claims.

Highlights from attorney L. Chris Stewart's Georgia Supreme Court argument over whether BioLab should be ordered to pay for ongoing medical monitoring for Rockdale County residents exposed to harmful chemicals during the 2024 BioLab plant fire.

Attorney L. Chris Stewart's team appeared before the Georgia Supreme Court arguing that BioLab should pay for ongoing medical monitoring for Rockdale County residents exposed to harmful chemicals during the 2024 BioLab facility fire. The fire forced more than 17,000 residents to evacuate and another 70,000 to shelter in place for days as toxic smoke spread across the region. Stewart's team argued regular health monitoring will allow exposed residents to catch potential illnesses in time. BioLab's attorneys countered that imposing liability without a current physical injury would be unprecedented under Georgia law — calling it impossible to imagine a toxic substance dangerous enough to cause a likelihood of future injury but not dangerous enough to cause immediate harm. Stewart told the court the stakes go beyond today's plaintiffs: "For the future victims, for people that don't fully manifest" symptoms now, this ruling matters. If the court sides with Stewart's clients, the case will reshape how Georgia companies handle future exposure-related claims.

11Alive's Grace King covered attorney L. Chris Stewart's Georgia Supreme Court argument over whether BioLab should be ordered to pay medical monitoring costs for as many as two million people potentially exposed during the 2024 BioLab facility fire. Stewart's team pointed to existing precedent: courts have already required companies to pay for credit monitoring before customers know they have credit issues, and they are now asking the justices to apply that same standard to medical monitoring. BioLab argued the claim is "simply unprecedented under law." Rockdale County residents told 11Alive they had already shown symptoms after the fire — "white spots… burns, what look like burns" — while others worry about future health impacts. "We're fighting for them. We're trying to make sure people are protected currently and in the future," Stewart said. The federal case is still moving forward as both sides await the Supreme Court ruling.

Chris Stewart Speaks Out on Lawsuit Over Worker Death at Jeep Assembly Plant. Attorney Chris Stewart discusses the lawsuit filed on behalf of the family of Antonio Gaston, a longtime Jeep assembly worker who was tragically killed on the job. The lawsuit alleges critical safety failures, understaffing, and dangerous working conditions at the Toledo assembly complex. Stewart says the family is seeking accountability and answers nearly one year after Gaston's death.

Days after attorney L. Chris Stewart filed the Garlington family's lawsuit, Channel 2's Michelle Newell got the funeral homes on the record. Nix Funeral Home's manager told WSB the Georgia funeral home was responsible for everything that happened, saying he never opened the box because he thought it held sentimental items — and that when he received the box, he didn't smell any odor. He confirmed the box was not on Timothy Garlington's list of personal belongings, and that he never called Southern Cremations to flag it. Pennsylvania state regulators cleared Nix of wrongdoing. Southern Cremations declined to comment. Georgia's state funeral board confirmed it concluded its investigation but is not releasing the results. Stewart continues to represent Timothy Garlington's family in their fight for accountability from both funeral homes.

Attorney L. Chris Stewart represents the parents of Timothy Garlington, who hired Southern Cremations and Funerals in Georgia to transport their son's remains to Nix Funeral Home in Philadelphia. Days after picking up Timothy's personal belongings, the family discovered the unmarked red cardboard box among his effects contained his brain. The box had been sitting in their car for days, and by the time they grabbed it, it was leaking fluid that covered their hands. "The family has been destroyed twice," Stewart told FOX 5. His lawsuit accuses both funeral homes of gross misconduct in the handling of human remains and severe emotional distress. Nix Funeral Home's owner blamed Southern Cremations; Southern Cremations had no comment. Stewart is fighting to make sure this never happens to another family.

L. Chris Stewart, joined by associate Alex Purich and Philadelphia co-counsel Saman and Ryu of Wapner Newman, holds a press conference announcing a lawsuit on behalf of Lawrence and Abby Butler, the parents of Timothy Garlington. After Timothy died in Georgia in November 2023, his body was shipped by Southern Cremations & Funerals to Nix & Nix Funeral Home in Philadelphia. When the family was given Timothy's personal effects, they took home an unmarked white box — only to discover days later that it contained their son's brain. Stewart describes the devastating mistake by both funeral homes, the unimaginable trauma of making a grieving family suffer twice, and the lawsuit filed in Philadelphia seeking accountability for the mishandling of Timothy's remains.

Telemundo reports on the lawsuit filed by Lawrence and Abby Butler, the grieving parents of Navy veteran Timothy Garlington, who died in Georgia in November 2023 at age 56. The family hired Southern Cremations & Funerals in Georgia and Nix & Nix Funeral Home in Philadelphia to handle the arrangements. About a week after Timothy's body was transported north, the Philadelphia funeral home gave the family his remains along with an unlabeled white box that, according to the lawsuit, contained Timothy's brain. Represented by L. Chris Stewart, the Butlers are demanding answers and accountability from both funeral homes for the devastating mishandling of their son's remains.

Chris Stewart Represents Family in Disturbing Funeral Home Lawsuit. Attorney Chris Stewart speaks on behalf of a Philadelphia family after a lawsuit was filed against two funeral homes accused of mishandling their son's remains. The heartbreaking case alleges the family unknowingly received their loved one's brain in an unmarked box following transport from Georgia to Philadelphia. Stewart says the family hopes the lawsuit brings accountability and prevents similar tragedies from happening again.

NBC10 Philadelphia (WCAU-TV) reports on the lawsuit filed by attorney L. Chris Stewart on behalf of Lawrence and Abby Butler, the parents of Navy veteran Timothy Garlington, who died in Georgia in November 2023. After his body was transported from Southern Cremations & Funerals in Georgia to Nix & Nix Funeral Home in Philadelphia, the family was sent home with an unmarked box among Timothy's personal effects — only to discover it contained their son's brain. Stewart calls the mishandling unconscionable and says the Butlers are seeking accountability from both funeral homes.

WPSG-TV Philadelphia covers attorney Chris Stewart's lawsuit against two funeral homes accused of mishandling the remains of Navy veteran Timothy Garlington. After Timothy's death in Georgia in November 2023, Southern Cremations & Funerals shipped his body to Nix & Nix Funeral Home in Philadelphia. When his parents Lawrence and Abby Butler picked up his personal effects, an unmarked box was included — they later discovered it contained their son's brain. Stewart says the family was devastated twice and is fighting to make sure no other family endures the same trauma.

WSB-TV Channel 2's Audrey Washington reports from downtown Atlanta on the new class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court against BioLab over the Rockdale County chemical fire that forced thousands to evacuate. Attorneys argue negligence caused the facility's sprinkler system to react with chemicals inside, sending potentially toxic fumes into the air and leaving area residents with respiratory issues and burning eyes. Chris Stewart's co-counsel — a former EPA investigator — says he never thought he'd see the day Georgia was being destroyed by a tragedy like this, noting BioLab's prior history of incidents at the same facility.

11Alive's Savannah Levins reports from outside the attorneys' downtown Atlanta offices on at least three class action lawsuits filed on behalf of Rockdale County residents impacted by the BioLab plant fire. The suits seek damages for property damage, remediation and cleanup costs, lost profits, diminished property value, emotional distress, business interruption, and initial exposure to hazardous chemicals. Residents describe spongy debris in their yards, painful coughs, headaches, and hospitalizations. Chris Stewart's co-counsel — a former EPA investigator — says tragedies like this are exactly what he was trained to investigate, and that BioLab has a documented history of prior fires and more than a dozen OSHA violations.

WANF-TV (Atlanta News First) breaks the news of class action lawsuits filed against BioLab following the Rockdale County chemical fire. Attorneys announced at a morning press conference that they are seeking damages on behalf of more than 90,000 residents in and around Rockdale County for property-related damages caused by the toxic smoke. "We are here to fight for the citizens of Rockdale County, the surrounding counties, and any victims who have been impacted by this disaster," the legal team said.

FOX 5 Atlanta reports on legal action against the two companies connected to the BioLab plant fire in Rockdale County. The class action seeks to hold BioLab directly accountable to pay for cleanup costs and property-related damages, with a second class action filed on behalf of Rockdale County residents by Morgan & Morgan. Chris Stewart's co-counsel — a former EPA investigator — tells FOX 5 that tragedies like this are exactly what his agency was built to investigate, and that Georgia is being destroyed by the incident.

The Today Show airs Tom Llamas's exclusive interview with Julio Cervantes — the sole surviving member of the construction crew that plunged into the Patapsco River when the Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Cervantes describes feeling the bridge shake, watching his coworkers fall, praying to God to care for his wife and children, and escaping his sinking truck through a manual window despite not knowing how to swim. He floated to a chunk of bridge and called out the names of his brother-in-law and 18-year-old nephew, but no one answered. Chris Stewart, who represents Cervantes and other victims' families, tells Today the survivor ingested contaminated water, suffered a torn meniscus, and faces lifelong psychological trauma, as the legal team prepares suit against every company connected to the ship.

José Díaz-Balart Reports airs Tom Llamas's exclusive sit-down with Julio Cervantes, the only member of the Key Bridge construction crew to survive the Dali collision. Cervantes recounts the moment everything began to shake, watching coworkers launch into the water, praying as his truck fell nearly 18 stories, and escaping through a manual window though he cannot swim. He clung to a submerged chunk of bridge and called out for his brother-in-law and nephew — no one answered. Chris Stewart's legal team tells MSNBC that Cervantes faces permanent physical and psychological injuries, and confirms suit is being prepared against every company connected to the ship as the NTSB's preliminary report points to power issues on the Dali in the days before the disaster.

NBC News Top Story with Tom Llamas airs the exclusive first interview with Key Bridge survivor Julio Cervantes Suarez, the only one of seven Hispanic construction workers to survive when the Dali struck the bridge. Cervantes describes the bridge beginning to shake, watching his coworkers fall one by one, escaping his sinking truck through a manual window despite being unable to swim, and being rescued only because the flashlight on his helmet still worked in the freezing water. Chris Stewart explains the legal fight ahead: an archaic post-Titanic limitation-of-liability rule is being used to deny these families, Baltimore, and the country the right to hold the shipping companies accountable, even though the Dali had multiple documented problems before it ever reached port.

NBC News NOW previews Tom Llamas's exclusive interview with Julio Cervantes — the lone surviving construction worker from the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse — nearly four months after the tragedy. In the clip, Cervantes tells Llamas in Spanish that as he fell into the water he thought he was going to die. Chris Stewart represents Cervantes and other victims' families in the case against the companies behind the Dali.

Noticias Telemundo airs Tom Llamas's exclusive Spanish-language interview with Julio Cervantes, the 37-year-old Mexican construction worker who was the only one of seven Hispanic workers to survive the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Cervantes describes feeling the bridge begin to move, falling inside his truck, watching his coworkers disappear into the water as he called out their names, and praying to God to care for his wife and children. Unable to swim, he escaped through the truck window, reached a piece of concrete, and was rescued thanks to the flashlight on his helmet. He carries lasting guilt over the death of his 18-year-old nephew Carlos Daniel Hernández, and tells Telemundo he wants the country to remember these men as hard-working Hispanic family men of good principles. Chris Stewart represents Cervantes and the victims' families.

NBC Nightly News airs Tom Llamas's exclusive interview with Julio Cervantes Suarez, the only member of the Key Bridge construction crew to survive the Dali collision. Cervantes describes the moment the bridge began to shake, watching his coworkers slide into the Patapsco one by one, praying as his truck fell, and escaping through a manual window though he cannot swim. He clung to a piece of bridge and called out for his brother-in-law and 18-year-old nephew — no one answered. Chris Stewart tells NBC the Dali had multiple documented problems not just before hitting the bridge but before it ever reached the port, and stresses the horror of being on a bridge watching your friends and family drop one by one. Cervantes was located only because the flashlight on his helmet still worked when rescue boats arrived.

Chris Stewart appears on NBC Nightly News.

Aniyah Pilgrim and Messiah Young Reach Settlement Four Years After Atlanta Police Tasing. Chris Stewart, joined by partners Justin Miller and Diana Lee of Stewart Miller Simmons and Devon Franklin of the Southern Center for Human Rights, speaks at a press conference announcing the resolution of the case stemming from the May 2020 incident when Atlanta police pulled Aniyah Pilgrim and Messiah Young — two college students who had nothing to do with the George Floyd protests — from their car. Stewart describes how the 90-pound Pilgrim was ripped from the vehicle, tased multiple times, slammed to the ground, handcuffed, and dumped half-clothed in the middle of a protest she was never part of. She was never arrested or charged. Stewart pushes back on critics calling the settlement a 'gift,' noting depositions of officers and chiefs revealed exactly what happened, and that three high-ranking Atlanta officials — including the past police chief — found the officers violated policy. Both students, now moving forward with their lives, appear alongside their families.

Page Family Hires Chris Stewart After 20-Year-Old TSU Football Player Killed in Hit-and-Run. WKRN-TV Nashville reports on the Chazan Page case as Chris Stewart joins the legal team helping the family of the 20-year-old Tennessee State University offensive lineman killed crossing Gallatin Pike. Page was struck by a red sedan while trying to protect his girlfriend from the car; witnesses recall hearing the vehicle speeding through the area that morning. Less than 24 hours later, Metro Police located the red Ford Edge in a backyard, but the registered owner denies driving it and the vehicle was never reported stolen. Page's grieving mother says her son — a Nashville native who attended Lipscomb Academy — deserves justice, and Stewart's firm is now conducting its own investigation, reaching out to witnesses and searching for new evidence.

FBI Joins Key Bridge Investigation as Owner Invokes 1851 Maritime Law. NBC's Today Show reports that the FBI has joined the criminal investigation into the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, executing a search warrant aboard the Dali to determine whether the crew had prior knowledge of mechanical problems that would have made the ship unsafe to sail. NTSB investigators are looking into reports that alarms were going off on the ship while still in port, suggesting a potential power problem before it left. Chris Stewart's firm represents two of the men who died and sole survivor Julio Cervantes — who couldn't swim and escaped by rolling down a manual window as his truck sank. Baltimore's mayor vows legal action against the ship's owner, manufacturer, and operator, who have already invoked an 1851 law — once used to protect the owner of the Titanic — to try to cap their liability at the value of the wrecked ship.

FBI Launches Criminal Probe of the Dali as Key Bridge Victims' Attorneys Speak Out. FOX 45 Baltimore (WBFF-TV) reports on the FBI's investigation into the Dali cargo ship and growing speculation that the vessel was experiencing electrical problems before it struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Cameras roll as federal agents board the ship; a spokesperson confirms court-authorized law enforcement activity, and former federal prosecutor Rep. Glenn Ivey explains that a judge had to find probable cause that a criminal act may have been committed. Chris Stewart's legal team speaks publicly for two of the men who died and sole survivor Julio Cervantes Suarez, describing how Cervantes — on break in his truck — escaped through a manual window before drifting in the freezing river. Mayor Brandon Scott also announces Baltimore has hired attorneys to pursue legal action over the collapse.

FBI Boards the Dali as Key Bridge Victims' Attorneys Demand Accountability. WJZ-TV's Paul Gessler reports live from Dundalk three weeks after the container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six construction workers. Chris Stewart's legal team — representing victims Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Maynor Suazo Sandoval, and survivor Julio Cervantes — calls for a thorough investigation into the Dali's prior issues, including reports that the ship lost power and propulsion in the shipping channel not once but twice. The FBI confirms court-authorized law enforcement activity aboard the ship; Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott announces the city has hired two law firms; and the Dali's owner moves to invoke a 173-year-old maritime law to shield itself or cap damages at the ship's roughly $44 million value. Stewart's team also shares new details on how Cervantes escaped his sinking truck through a manual window despite being unable to swim.

Key Bridge Families Press Conference: 'Six Families Have Permanently Lost.' Chris Stewart leads a press conference for the families of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, José Lopez, and survivor Julio Cervantes following the FBI's announcement of a federal criminal investigation into the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. Stewart says the workers were 'living the American dream — fixing America's infrastructure' when they died, and blasts ship owner Grace Ocean for racing to federal court just six days after the disaster to invoke an 1851 maritime law — the same statute used to shield the owner of the Titanic — to limit liability while the victims' bodies were still under the bridge. Co-counsel Kevin Mahoney of Chaffetz Lindsey calls on Congress to repeal the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 once and for all. Stewart also shares how Cervantes, who cannot swim, survived only because he was able to roll down a manual window and cling to floating debris — and reveals that some of his own family members were among the workers who perished.

Baltimore Families Retain Chris Stewart as FBI Boards the Dali. FOX 5 DC (WTTG-TV) reports from Baltimore as FBI agents board the Dali nearly three weeks after the ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Chris Stewart confirms his firm represents the families of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes and José Lopez — two of the six men who died — along with sole survivor Julio Cervantes. Stewart calls for a thorough investigation into the alleged prior mechanical issues with the ship and condemns the owner and manager for invoking the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851 — a law passed 20 years before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb — in an attempt to eliminate compensation for the families. 'Baltimore has temporarily lost a bridge,' Stewart says, 'but six families have permanently lost fathers, brothers, and uncles.'

Pregnant Woman Shot Seven Times by Walgreens Employee Sues Chain. NewsCenter 5 Nashville reports on Trayvon Ferguson's lawsuit against Walgreens after a store employee followed her out of the Gallatin Pike location on a shoplifting suspicion and shot her seven times with his personal handgun. Ferguson was 27 weeks pregnant at the time; her son was delivered by emergency C-section just hours after the shooting, weighed only one pound, and was born with a hole in his heart. Chris Stewart's legal team argues Walgreens is supposed to have a no-chase shoplifting policy and that it is the company's job — not an untrained employee's — to provide proper security. The grand jury declined to indict the employee, but the civil suit seeks damages for negligence, including allowing a worker to carry a personal firearm on the job.

Walgreens Sued After Employee Shoots Pregnant Customer Seven Times. WSMV-TV reports on Trayvon Ferguson's lawsuit against Walgreens after she was shot seven times by store employee Mitarius Boyd in a Nashville parking lot. Twenty-four and pregnant at the time, Ferguson was accused of shoplifting when Boyd confronted her and opened fire, claiming self-defense. Attorney Chris Stewart says Walgreens used an untrained employee as security instead of hiring off-duty officers, and argues the company had to know Boyd carried a gun at work. Ferguson was rushed into an emergency C-section; her baby was born with a heart defect and may face long-term developmental disabilities.

Chris Stewart Holds Press Conference on Fatal Racetrac Shooting. Attorney Chris Stewart speaks at a press conference following the lawsuit filed on behalf of 19-year-old De'Asia Hart, an innocent bystander shot and killed outside the Racetrac at 120 Piedmont Avenue near Georgia State. Stewart says the gas station and the adjacent Mix Apartments — managed by Peak Campus Student Living — knew the property had a violent history yet provided no off-duty officers or security. He argues Racetrac shutting the location down does not erase accountability and calls out companies that put profit over patron safety. De'Asia's grieving mother also speaks, remembering her only child as an outgoing young woman who planned to attend law school.

Family of Slain 19-Year-Old Sues Racetrac and Atlanta Apartment Complex. WXIA-TV 5PM reports on the lawsuit filed by the family of 19-year-old De'Asia Hart, killed near a Racetrac gas station by Georgia State University. The suit targets Racetrac, the property owner, and the management company, alleging the company knew about a history of crime in the area and did nothing. Earlier in the week Racetrac closed the location citing significant public safety issues — a move attorney Chris Stewart says was 'too late to run away from what happened.' Hart, an innocent bystander, left behind a one-year-old daughter.

Racetrac and Mix Apartments Sued After Fatal Shooting of 19-Year-Old Bystander. WSB-TV's Audrey Washington reports live from downtown Atlanta as the family of De'Asia Hart files suit against Racetrac and the nearby Mix apartment complex, alleging both failed to provide proper security at a property with a history of violence. Hart, 19, was an innocent bystander shot and killed October 29 near the Racetrac on Piedmont Avenue, steps from the Georgia State campus. Surveillance video showed multiple people shooting at each other; four were hit and Hart was the only one killed. Following another murder at the same location, Racetrac's CEO announced the store would close immediately — but Chris Stewart and the family say that does not go far enough.

Audrey Washington Reports Live as Heart Family Sues Racetrac and Mix Apartments. WSB-TV reports live from downtown Atlanta with crime tape still surrounding the Racetrac gas station where 19-year-old De'Asia Hart was shot and killed in October. The lawsuit filed by the Hart family targets Racetrac and the ownership group of the adjacent Mix apartment complex, alleging both failed to provide proper security despite numerous documented acts of violence. Investigators say a disturbance at the Mix spilled into the street, a fight broke out near the Racetrac, and bullets hit four people — Hart was the only one killed. Days after another murder at the same location, Racetrac announced it would discontinue operations on Piedmont Avenue. Chris Stewart points out how easy it would have been to hire off-duty APD.

Heart Family Sues Racetrac and Mix Apartments After Daughter's Death. WANF-TV (Atlanta News First) reports live from downtown Atlanta as reporter Chelsea Byford breaks the lawsuit filed by the family of 19-year-old De'Asia Hart, killed at the Piedmont Avenue Racetrac near the Georgia State campus. The complaint alleges the Racetrac and the nearby Mix apartments — home to many GSU students — had a documented history of shootings, assaults, and robberies yet allowed weekly gatherings and large crowds to continue. Days after another fatal shooting at the same location, Racetrac announced the permanent closure of the store. Chris Stewart argues that closing the doors is not enough — the companies must be held accountable.

Lawsuit Targets Racetrac and Mix Apartments Over Pattern of Violence. WANF-TV (Atlanta News First) reports on the lawsuit filed by the family of De'Asia Hart, the 19-year-old shot and killed outside the Piedmont Avenue Racetrac near Georgia State University. The complaint alleges Racetrac and the Mix apartments — home to many GSU students — have a documented history of shootings, assaults, and robberies, and accuses Racetrac of allowing weekly gatherings and large crowds despite knowing about ongoing crimes on or near the property. Days after another fatal shooting, Racetrac announced the permanent closure of the location — but Chris Stewart says simply walking away is not accountability.

Family of 19-Year-Old Mother Sues Racetrac and Mix Apartments. FOX 5 Atlanta (WAGA-TV) reports on the lawsuit filed by the family of De'Asia Hart, a 19-year-old aspiring lawyer and mother of a one-year-old who was shot and killed after leaving the Racetrac on Piedmont Road near Georgia State. Four people were shot — including two GSU students — and Hart was the only one killed. Chris Stewart describes a large, unruly party at the Mix apartment complex spilling into the street with no security or police presence, mixing with the crowd already at the Racetrac. After a fourth shooting in just over a year and another murder days earlier, Racetrac announced the permanent closure of the gas station. Stewart says the common thread is companies putting profit over patron protection.

Chris Stewart at a WXIA-TV Atlanta press conference.

Chris Stewart appears on WXIA-TV Atlanta Noon News.

Chris Stewart appears on WANF-TV Atlanta.

Chris Stewart appears on WSB-TV Atlanta.

TYT Covers Walgreens Lawsuit After Employee Shoots Pregnant Customer Seven Times. The Young Turks break down the Trayvon Ferguson case, in which a Nashville Walgreens employee — armed with his personal handgun — followed Ferguson out of the store on a shoplifting suspicion, never identified himself, and opened fire, hitting the 25-year-old six-and-a-half-months-pregnant woman up to seven times. Ferguson underwent an emergency C-section; her baby was born under two pounds with a life-altering heart defect and faces long-term developmental risks, while Ferguson herself sustained internal injuries requiring a colostomy bag. Attorney Chris Stewart tells TYT the shooting could not be self-defense — seven accurate shots indicate the gun was sprayed in panic — and slams Walgreens for failing to enforce its own no-chase policy, allowing an untrained employee to carry a handgun at work, and refusing to hire proper security. The employee, Mitarius Boyd, was fired but never criminally charged, while Ferguson was charged with assault and misdemeanor theft.

Mother Sues Buckhead Complex After Son Killed in Attempted Dognapping. WSB-TV 11PM reports that the mother of Jayden McKinnon is suing the Willow West apartments in Lindbergh, saying her son was shot and killed trying to prevent a dognapping and the complex's security failed him. She alleges the gates were broken, letting the suspect onto the property. A property manager confirmed they were aware of the lawsuit but declined to comment further. Chris Stewart represents the family.

Mother Sues Buckhead Apartment Owners Over Broken Security Gate. FOX 5 Atlanta (WAGA-TV) 4PM reports as the family of 22-year-old Jayden McKinnon files suit against the owners of the Willow West apartments in Buckhead. Sarah McKinnon says her son would still be alive had the complex kept its security gate working — and that she believes the owners are 'money hungry' and didn't care about the tenants. Jayden was walking his dogs when he was shot and killed; the suit alleges the entrance gate wasn't working at the time of the deadly incident. Attorney Chris Stewart shows video of staff unlocking the security gate manually after the murder and tells reporters this was not an isolated incident at the property.

Family Sues Buckhead Apartment Complex After Son's Murder at Broken Gate. WSB-TV 4PM Atlanta reports on the lawsuit filed by the family of 22-year-old Jayden McKinnon against the Willow West apartments in Buckhead. Jayden was walking his French bulldogs in August when he was shot and killed by a suspect who came onto the property to rob him of his dog. The suit alleges the complex's security gate had been broken and that property owners didn't repair it until the day after the shooting. Chris Stewart's team argues broken security gates are one of the reasons Atlanta apartment complexes have become easy targets and that the property owners' negligence directly enabled the attack.

Mother Files Suit Over Son's Killing at Buckhead Apartment Complex. CBS46/WANF-TV 5PM Atlanta reports on the lawsuit filed by the family of 22-year-old Jayden McKinnon against the Willow West apartments in Buckhead, where Jayden was shot and killed in August while walking his dogs. The suspect — who didn't live at the property — robbed McKinnon of his dog before shooting him. The lawsuit alleges the complex's broken security gate let the killer walk straight onto the property, and that owners didn't repair the gate until the day after the shooting. Chris Stewart's team says broken security gates are part of a much larger security failure at apartment complexes across Atlanta.

Atlanta Mother Sues Buckhead Apartment Complex Over Son's Murder. WXIA-TV 6PM reports as Sasha McKinnon files suit against the Willow West apartments in Lindbergh and its management company three months after her 22-year-old son Jayden McKinnon was shot and killed there. McKinnon was walking his two French bulldogs in August when 24-year-old David Kenny Jr. allegedly shot him and stole one of the dogs. The lawsuit alleges the property's security gate was not working and that the complex knew the area was high-crime yet failed to take appropriate action. Chris Stewart's team argues no one should risk their life walking their dog in their own complex.

Mother Sues Buckhead Complex After Son Killed in Attempted Dognapping. WXIA-TV reports on the lawsuit filed after 22-year-old Jayden McKinnon was shot and killed in August while walking his French bulldogs at a Buckhead apartment complex. Suspect David Kenny Jr. allegedly fought McKinnon over a gun before shooting him and stealing one of the dogs. The family's attorneys allege the apartment's broken security gate gave the attacker access to the property, and Chris Stewart points out these tragedies are happening predominantly at complexes in minority communities.

Family Demands Vehicular Homicide Charges After Father of Six Killed by Impaired Driver. WSB-TV's Matt Johnson reports live from Ronald Reagan Parkway, where 57-year-old limo driver Brian Kohls was killed when an 18-year-old driver — allegedly high on drugs and possibly speeding — crashed into his car as he and his wife drove home from a graduation party just before midnight. Gwinnett County police charged Mohammed Sammy with DUI but not vehicular homicide, citing conflicting witness statements, and Sammy bonded out the same day. Chris Stewart, who was once Kohls's client and now represents his family, is pushing for more serious charges as the six children left behind grieve their father.

Family Calls for Criminal Charges in Fatal Ronald Reagan Parkway Crash. WSB-TV 6PM reports on the family of Brian Kohls demanding criminal charges against the driver who crashed into his car and killed him. Kohls and his wife were driving on Ronald Reagan Parkway when police say Mohammed Sammy — allegedly under the influence of drugs — slammed into their vehicle. The family is outraged that no charges have been filed related to the actual crash, with conflicting statements in the police report and the suspect bonding out the same day as his arrest. Chris Stewart represents the family in their fight for accountability.

Atlanta stations cover the indictment of former Alpharetta police officer Michael Esper in connection with a 2021 K-9 attack on Travis Moya. A Fulton County grand jury charged Esper with aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and violation of oath of office for allegedly directing his canine to bite Moya — who was on the ground outside his Alpharetta home during a mental health crisis call — leaving him with permanent disfigurement, nerve damage, spasms, and trauma. Chris Stewart calls it what his team believes to be the first time in Georgia history a K-9 officer has been held accountable for excessive force, noting officers initially asked for a hose to wash blood off the sidewalk. Stewart credits DA Fani Willis's office for bringing charges after Moya's own obstruction charge was dropped, and says the fight continues with the City of Alpharetta, which has so far justified the attack. Moya's civil suit against the city remains pending.

WGCL-TV reports on the felony indictment of former Alpharetta officer Michael Esper for the 2021 K-9 attack on Travis Moya. Esper faces aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and violation of oath of office charges after his canine bit Moya during an arrest, leaving him slammed to the ground with severe dog-bite wounds. According to Moya's attorneys, the indictment is believed to be the first in Georgia for a K-9 attack. Chris Stewart thanks DA Fani Willis's office for bringing charges and says the family is still fighting Alpharetta city leadership and the police department, which justified the attack. Moya's original obstruction charge was dropped by prosecutors last year.

WGCL-TV's 6PM newscast details the new felony charges against former Alpharetta K-9 handler Michael Esper for the violent 2021 arrest of Travis Moya. Moya — on the ground outside his Alpharetta home — was bitten by Esper's police dog and today still suffers numbness, spasms, nerve damage, and limited range of motion in his arm. A Fulton County grand jury indicted Esper for aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and violation of oath of office, accusing him of maliciously directing the dog to seriously disfigure Moya. Chris Stewart says it is, to his team's knowledge, the first time in Georgia history a K-9 officer has been held accountable for excessive force, and notes the trauma has made it difficult for Moya to be in public around police. Moya's lawsuit against the City of Alpharetta is still pending; the city declined comment.

WRC-TV Washington DC covers the case of Rebecca Estrada, general manager of Romeo's restaurant on H Street NW, who says an Amazon delivery driver groped her in front of customers. Surveillance video — released by Estrada's attorneys — shows the driver walking behind her as she spoke with a table of guests and pressing his hand against her rear. Estrada says she felt violated and unsafe, and was offered only a $25 discount when she reported the incident to Amazon. Her legal team, including Chris Stewart, has issued a subpoena for the driver's identity and is threatening to sue Amazon, demanding the company do better given that customers grant Amazon drivers access to their homes and garages. Amazon called it 'a very serious situation' and said it is conducting an internal review while working with law enforcement.

Chris Stewart joins co-counsel Justin Miller, Nathan Hoffman, and Kelly Seminar at a press conference announcing a lawsuit against Citadel Mall and Mason Asset Management on behalf of 13-year-old McKayla, who was paralyzed from her armpits down after being struck by a stray bullet while waiting for a ride outside the Colorado Springs mall. Stewart says publicly available news coverage already documented years of shootings, violence, and crime at the mall — and that security cameras in the area had allegedly not been working for years, emboldening criminals. McKayla's mother Marjorie describes a shattered life: no working van, no wheelchair ramps, no accessible bathroom, and a daughter in excruciating nerve-damage pain who can no longer use her right arm. Attorney Kelly Seminar — herself paralyzed at sixteen — speaks to the lifelong cost of spinal cord injury and demands the mall's owners change practices that put profit over patron safety.

KKTV-TV Colorado Springs covers the press conference announcing a lawsuit against Citadel Mall and Mason Asset Management on behalf of 13-year-old McKayla, paralyzed from her armpits down after being shot as an innocent bystander while waiting for a ride at the mall. Chris Stewart points to a documented history of shootings and violence at the property, allegedly non-working security cameras, and a refusal to hire off-duty officers or adequate patrols despite the mall's millions in revenue. McKayla's mother Marjorie describes a family scrambling to find ramps, an accessible van, a wheelchair, and long-term therapy, while McKayla — in constant nerve-damage pain — joins briefly by FaceTime. Co-counsel Kelly Seminar, herself paralyzed at sixteen, urges companies to change their security practices so other patrons don't suffer the same lifelong consequences.

Chris Stewart joins CNN Newsroom alongside former Saint Paul police chief to react to the body-camera and audio evidence in the Tyre Nichols beating by five fired Memphis officers — all charged with second-degree murder. Stewart pushes back on attempts to single out individual officers' actions, arguing that the audio captures officers attempting to justify excessive force in real time, a pattern he says repeats because it is rarely punished. Drawing on his work after George Floyd's death, Stewart criticizes Washington's failure to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and calls for stronger local accountability: independent review boards, real consequences from internal affairs and supervisors when officers fabricate narratives, and a culture shift inside departments where good officers no longer stay silent about what they see.

WDSU-TV New Orleans reports on the families of New Orleans educators Cortez Hall and Jordan Marshall and Virginia entrepreneur Candace Florence, who all died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a Mexico City Airbnb traced to a leaking hot water heater. Standing with attorneys Chris Stewart and Michael Hagger, the families announce a forthcoming lawsuit against Airbnb and demand the company mandate carbon monoxide detectors in every one of its 7 million worldwide listings — not merely 'suggest' them or hand out free detectors. Stewart notes Airbnb suspended the listing only after the deaths despite prior known carbon monoxide fatalities in Mexico, Colombia, and China, and argues the company already mandates other policies (like no parties) but refuses to require a $30 device that would have saved these lives. Airbnb called it a 'terrible tragedy' and said it is supporting the families as authorities investigate.

Chris Stewart, joined by co-counsel Michael Hagger of the Hagger Law Firm in Miami, holds a New Orleans press conference with the families of Cortez Hall, Jordan Marshall, and Candace Florence — three young friends who died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a Mexico City Airbnb. Coroner findings, confirmed via the Mexico City police report, ruled out drugs and alcohol: the deaths were caused by a leaking water heater and an Airbnb with no carbon monoxide detector. Stewart and Hagger announce a lawsuit demanding Airbnb mandate carbon monoxide detectors across all 7 million worldwide listings, noting Airbnb already mandates rules like no parties but has refused to require a $30 lifesaving device — despite prior carbon monoxide deaths in Mexico, Colombia, and China that the company knew about. The grieving parents — including Cortez's mother and Candace's parents Kelvin and Freddie Florence — speak about their children's lives, plead with other families to gather full trip details before loved ones travel, and vow to fight so no other family endures the same preventable loss.

NBC Nightly News marks one month since three American tourists — New Orleans educators Cortez Hall and Jordan Marshall, and entrepreneur Candace Florence — died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a Mexico City Airbnb. In their first joint public appearance, the families announce, alongside attorney Chris Stewart, a planned lawsuit demanding Airbnb mandate carbon monoxide detectors across every one of its worldwide listings. NBC notes the case follows other American tourist carbon monoxide deaths earlier in the year at a Bahamas resort, with CDC data showing more than 430 accidental carbon monoxide deaths per year in the U.S. Airbnb called it a 'terrible tragedy,' said it gives away combined smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to eligible hosts, and confirmed it suspended the Mexico City listing along with upcoming reservations.

Chris Stewart Reacts After Rayshard Brooks Case Verdict. Attorney Chris Stewart discusses the controversial verdict in the Rayshard Brooks case, addressing concerns about police accountability, use of force, and the emotional reaction from the community. Stewart explains the differences between criminal and civil cases and says the family will continue pursuing justice through the civil court system.

Attorney L. Chris Stewart, co-counsel for the family of George Floyd, reacts to the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd.

Chris Stewart, attorney for the family of Rayshard Brooks, speaks on ABC TV News the day after the Atlanta police shooting. Drawing a parallel to the nationwide protests during the COVID lockdowns, Stewart argues that demanding change against police brutality is the same exercise of American rights — and asks why it's treated differently when Black Americans take to the streets to demand accountability. Standing in the Wendy's parking lot, he shows a witness's vehicle struck by a stray round to illustrate how reckless it was to fire into a crowded lot at a man running away from a non-confrontational call that began with Brooks asleep in his car. Stewart says the officer could have caught up with him later or simply let him walk to his sister's house nearby, and calls for not just policy changes but a cultural and mental shift in policing as the family awaits the DA's findings.

Chris Stewart, attorney for the family of Rayshard Brooks, appears on ABC's Good Morning America after the fatal Atlanta police shooting of the 27-year-old at a Wendy's drive-through. GBI is investigating after officers responded to a call about Brooks asleep in his car; body cam footage shows him performing field sobriety tests before a struggle in which he grabbed an officer's taser. Officer Garrett Rolfe was terminated overnight, Officer Devin Brosnan was placed on administrative duty, and Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned, saying it was time for the city to move forward and rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Stewart tells GMA that before debating what happened, no one disagrees this never should have happened, and the family is outraged that Brooks lost his life over a non-violent encounter.

Attorney L. Chris Stewart addresses the media during a press conference on behalf of the family of Alton Sterling, speaking on the ongoing fight for accountability, transparency, and justice following Sterling's killing. As the case continues to unfold, Stewart's remarks reflect his commitment to civil rights advocacy on behalf of families impacted by police violence.