Parents of Benghazi victims sue Hillary Clinton for wrongful death and defamation

The parents of two Americans killed in the 2012 Benghazi attacks have filed a federal lawsuit against Hillary Clinton on Monday, 8 August. Patricia Smith and Charles Woods, parents to Sean Smith and Tyrone Woods, sued the Democratic nominee for wrongful death and defamation.

The two parents claim that Clinton's use of a private email server contributed to the terrorist attacks that killed their sons, NBC News reported. "The Benghazi attack was directly and proximately caused, at a minimum by defendant Clinton's 'extreme carelessness' in handling confidential and classified information," including the location of State Department employees in Libya, the suit claims.

The lawsuit makes several mentions of Clinton's emails during her time as secretary of state and says that it is "highly probable" that Clinton sent and received information about US Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who died in the attack. It also claims that those emails "easily found" their way to foreign powers including to Russia, Iran, China and North Korea.

In July, FBI Director James Comey said that it was "possible that hostile actors gained access" to Clinton's private email server but said the FBI did not find any direct evidence that it was successfully hacked, NBC News reported.

Smith and Woods also said Clinton defamed them in public statements. "Defendant Clinton made false and defamatory statements negligently, recklessly, purposefully, and/or intentionally with actual malice... by stating that Plaintiffs were lying about Clinton having told them that the Benghazi Attack was caused by an anti-Muslim YouTube video," the lawsuit states, according to Mediaite.

During an interview on Fox News Sunday, Clinton denied telling family members of the victims that the attack was sparked by an anti-Islam video and not terrorism. "I understand the grief and the incredible sense of loss that can motivate that," Clinton said. "As other members of families who've lost loved ones have said, that's not what they heard. I don't hold any ill feeling for someone who, in that moment, may not fully recall everything that was or wasn't said."

In July, Smith spoke against Clinton during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. "I blame Hillary Clinton personally for the death of my son," she said.

Fox News reported that the case was filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia by Larry Klayman of Freedom Watch USA on behalf of the two parents. Clinton's campaign has not yet responded to the lawsuit.