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People from across the United States, who lost loved ones due to the opioid epidemic, rallied at the Department of Justice in Washington DC, calling on Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy AG Lisa Monaco to bring criminal charges against members of the Sackler family.
People from across the United States, who lost loved ones due to the opioid epidemic, rallied at the Department of Justice in Washington DC, calling on Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy AG Lisa Monaco to bring criminal charges against members of the Sackler family.Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Angry family members of loved ones who died in America's opioid crisis confronted the Sackler family, who owned the company, at an unusual hearing conducted virtually in U.S. bankruptcy court.

The Sackler family filed for bankruptcy due to thousands of lawsuits, after accusers said that their misleading and aggressive marketing of the controversial drug led to the addictions of hundreds of thousands of people.

The people detailed their stories of loss and grief at the hearing. The Sackler family have made a lot of money from the sale of drugs.

The hearings against the company feature two dozen victims of the opiate epidemic.

After being prescribed the drug to treat knee pain, which led to overdoses and periods of homelessness, he was able to recover from his addiction.

I hope you hear our names in your dreams. I hope you hear the screams of the families who find their loved ones dead in the bathroom. I hope you hear the sirens. I hope you hear the heart monitor as it beats, he said.

sackler purdue pharma opioid oxycontin
David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Richard Sackler, the former president and board chair of the company, appeared on an audio link during the hearing. Theresa Sackler and David Sackler appeared on a video.

Theresa and David kept their expressions neutral throughout the hearing, as they heard how their lives were ruined by addiction.

It was Richard Sackler's 77th birthday, and it was noted by the mother of a son who died after an overdose.

She called one of the Sacklers "scum of the earth" when she called for help for her son.

She echoed the phrase used by Richard Sackler in his 2001 email regarding people with opiate addiction.

The Sacklers were not allowed to speak to the people.

Over half a million deaths are thought to have been caused by the opioid crisis, and a number of drugmakers have settled lawsuits. The case of privately owned Purdue is special because it was an early promoter of opioids.

The Sacklers are being called to contribute up to $6 billion over 17 years to fight the opioid crisis in a settlement that is estimated to be worth at least $10 billion.

$750 million of the money will go to those affected by the drug.

The original article is on Business Insider.

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