In response to the unjustified murder of #GeorgeFoyd, The Players Coalition created a letter to end qualified immunity (which makes it more difficult to sue an officer after an incident of policing injustice) for police brutality.
With over 1,400 signatures, retired athletes, coaches, general managers, and staff members from popular sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and MLB, have all signed the letter to the United States Congress.
Some of the notable names that have signed the letter include #TomBrady, #DrewBrees, #SteveKerr, #GreggPopovich, to name a few.
U.S. Representatives Justin Amash and Ayanna Pressley announced the bill on Thursday, as a response to the recent killings of #GeorgeFloyd and #BreonnaTaylor, at the hands of police.
Eliminating qualified immunity would give Americans a fighting chance in court against police officers and other public officials, whom they feel have violated their constitutional rights as citizens of the country.
“We are tired of conversations around police accountability that go nowhere, and we have engaged in too many ‘listening sessions,’ where we discuss whether there is a problem of police violence in this country,” the Players Coalition state in its letter to Congress. “There is a problem. The world witnessed it when Officer [Derek] Chauvin murdered George Floyd, and the world is watching it now, as officers deploy enormous force on peaceful protestors like those who were standing outside of the White House last week. … The time for debate about the unchecked authority of the police is over; it is now time for change.”
The Players Coalition’s letter to Congress comes after years of repeated injustices from police against African Americans.
“It is time for Congress to eliminate qualified immunity, and it can do so by passing the Amash-Pressley Bill,” the letter continues. “When police officers kill an unarmed man, when they beat a woman, or when they shoot a child, the people of this country must have a way to hold them accountable in a court of law. … And officers must know that if they act in such a manner, there will be repercussions. A legal system that does not provide such a recourse is an illegitimate one. In their grief, people have taken to the streets because, for too long, their government has failed to protect them. The Courts and elected officials alike have instead shielded people who caused unspeakable harm. Congress must not be complicit in these injustices, and it should take this important step to show that law enforcement abuse will not be tolerated.”
Furthermore, on Wednesday afternoon, the Players Coalition held a virtual meeting inviting all 32 NFL teams to “focus on how the league can pursue and continue various initiatives aimed at promoting social justice and assisting black communities,” a source reported to ESPN’s Dianna Russini. The invite-only meeting was closed to the media.
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