Captain Fear
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- Mar 20, 2019
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The killing of Ahmaud Arbery by Travis and Greg McMichael has gradually, but forcefully, caught the attention of the the nation. It also has caught the attention of The Players Coalition.
The group has sent a letter to Attorney General William Barr, requesting a federal investigation of the shooting.
“The local investigation into this case is marred by conflicts, inaction, [the second assigned prosecutor’s] very deliberate attempt to ensure that Mr. Arbery received no justice, and the current prosecutor’s total failure to act until social media forced his hand,” the letter writes. “The local police force can never be independent, as the elder-McMichael used to work there. And [the second assigned prosecutor’s] statements about the case surely have tainted the local jury pool. If people are to have faith in the justice system, the Department of Justice must act with the FBI leading the investigation.”
The letter is signed by former NFL receiver Anquan Boldin, with a long list of current and former athletes and coaches joining in the message, including most notably Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady.
Others who have placed their names on the letter include Shaun Alexander, Doug Baldwin, Patrick Chung, Maxx Crosby, Demario Davis, Warrick Dunn, Julian Edelman, Stephon Gilmore, Mark Ingram, Malcolm Jenkins, Cam Jordan, Steve Kerr, Brandon Marshall, Devin and Jason McCourty, Josh McCown, Matthew Slater, Torrey Smith, Takeo Spikes, Shaq Thompson, Kyle Van Noy, Troy Vincent, Benjamin Watson, James White, and Aeneas Williams.
“The absence of justice is ever present,” Jenkins said in a statement issued by The Players Coalition. “Another black life has been taken by a bullet and the slaying justified by white fear. A coordinated attack on a man, who did nothing more than go on a jog, was recorded and yet it took this long for police to make an arrest and for prosecutors to take the case to a grand jury. And this only happened because of public outcry. We need to eliminate laws like the citizens’ arrest law relied upon here, laws that justify the taking of innocent lives. We need elected officials who hold those who cause unmitigated harm accountable. We need massive change. The time is now — the cycle can’t continue.”