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Diamond Reynolds the girlfriend of Philando Castile talked about what her life has been like since he was killed one year ago during a gathering in his honor Thursday July 6, in St. Paul, MN. ] JERRY HOLT • jerry.holt@startribune.com

Source: Star Tribune via Getty Images / Getty

In 2016, Diamond Reynolds filmed a police officer shooting and killing her boyfriend Philando Castile as he sat next to her in the front seat of their car, while Reynolds’ daughter was in the back.

A year later, according to The Star Tribune, Tom McBroom, the former Rice County Sheriff’s Deputy tweeted about Reynolds. “She needs to come off County and State Aid now that she has some cash. It’ll be gone in 6 months on crack cocaine.”

McBroom, who was later elected mayor in 2018, was referring to the $800,000 Reynolds received in settlements after Castile’s death.

Reynolds is suing McBroom saying his tweet was defamatory and racially motivated.

“The Defendant was alleging that Plaintiff is an abuser of serious drugs, has an addiction that causes her financial stress, and is someone who bases her entire existence in terms of her costs of daily living on support from municipalities and other State of Minnesota entities,” the suit said.

When asked why he assumed Reynolds was a drug user, he tweeted, “History.”

McBroom has since tried to defend himself, claiming that his words were being misinterpreted. He claimed that “history” was in reference to people who blew through the settlements they received from the government.

McBroom was eventually demoted fro “misconduct.”

Sheriff Troy Dunn said, “His comments were not the beliefs of our agency, and we’re trying to move forward in a positive manner. I hope that [the public] just trusts that we’re in this to do the right thing and that we’re trying to provide great training and great people to do a job here.”

Reynolds claims McBroom’s comments caused her “pain, emotional distress and damage to her reputation.”

The suit claims, “The conduct of the Defendant delineated herein was intentional and constitutes intentional inflection of emotional distress …”

Reynolds is seeking $50,000 in damages and attorney’s fees.

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