Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, known for his activism against racial injustice and police brutality—including his kneeling protests during the national anthem—recently intervened in a mysterious tragedy that had left others perplexed, demonstrating his continued unwavering commitment to justice.
The star recently funded an independent autopsy for Demartravion “Trey” Reed, the 21-year-old Delta State University student who was found dead on campus near the pickleball courts on the morning of September 15.
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If this is new to you, let’s catch up on this worrisome story. The Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy on Wednesday Sept. 17, ruling the cause of death as a hanging and classifying it as suicide. DSU Police Chief Mike Peeler added there was “no indication of foul play” which was later confirmed by the office of the Bolivar County Coroner. Toxicological examination might still take up to four weeks.
The Reed family continues to grapple with the perplexing death of their loved one, suspecting crucial details are obscured. As a Black family in Mississippi, their awareness of racial dynamics fuels their demand for a thorough, unbiased investigation. Driven by a need for truth, they are relentlessly pursuing every avenue to uncover what transpired.
“We want answers, and we’re going to launch our own independent investigation to get those answers,” the family’s lawyer, Vanessa J. Jones, said. “We will seek answers independently from Delta State University and from the coroner’s office, and if need be, independent from the state coroner’s office, because we need answers as to what happened to Trey Reed.”
In steps Kaepernick. The former NFL quarterback’s Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative will finance Reed’s second autopsy. Kaepernick established this initiative to provide resources for families, particularly Black families, to request independent autopsies when they suspect vital details may have been overlooked.
Civil-rights lawyer Ben Crump, who’s leading a team of civil rights leaders and organizations to pursue answers for Reed’s family, described the situation almost perfectly, saying the South has become accustomed to devastating events like this and the only thing that can begin to fix it for the family and community is true transparency.
“Trey’s death evoked the collective memory of a community that has suffered a historic wound over many, many years and many, many deaths. Peace will come only by getting to the truth,” Crump said.
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