NFL greats Tom Brady and Anquan Boldin were among dozens of prominent players and coaches who called on Friday for a federal investigation into the death of Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man who was shot while running in Georgia.
State investigators arrested a white former police officer, Gregory McMichael, 64, and his son Travis, 34, on Thursday and charged with them with murder and aggravated assault in the Feb. 23 killing in the small coastal town of Brunswick.
Video of the incident surfaced on social media earlier this week and ignited outrage among activists who saw the death of Arbery, 25, as the latest U.S. case of white perpetrators killing a black man and going unpunished.
"We have all now seen the video depicting the final moments of this young man's life and the way in which the McMichaels stalked Mr. Arbery like prey," the Players Coalition co-founder Boldin said in an open letter to Attorney General William Barr, asking him to intervene in the case.
"His only crime: running while black."
The letter, signed by 64 players and coaches, called for the Department of Justice and the FBI to lead the investigation, saying the local police force and jury pool were compromised. The suspects were not charged until weeks after the killing, and two prosecutors have recused themselves from the case due to their connections with the elder McMichael, who also worked as an investigator for a local district attorney's office.
If the DOJ turned its back on this "obvious injustice," the coalition's letter said, it "will relinquish its role as the champion for the defenseless and send the unmistakable message that the federal government will not protect us from violence, prejudice, and injustice in our communities."
Among those shocked by the footage from Brunswick - which shows Arbery jogging past the McMichaels' pickup truck before a shot is fired and then struggling with a man holding a long gun before more shots are heard - were sports legends Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and NBA Hall of Famer Magic Johnson.
"We're literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes! Can't even go for a damn jog man!" James wrote on Twitter on Wednesday.
"Ahmaud and his family and friends should have been celebrating his 26th birthday today," Johnson tweeted on Friday. "Prayers and thoughts for the Arbery family."
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
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The NFL proposed joining with its players in a bid to spur social justice change, although not all players are on board with the proposal.
The league submitted the final draft of the proposal to players on Monday that would contribute nearly $100 million to causes considered important to African-American communities.
The NFL is seeking an agreement that players will stand for the anthem in return and put an end to the controversial movement that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began last season.
Players are expected to discuss the proposal during a scheduled conference call Wednesday night. If they accept the league's proposal, then the owners would vote to complete the deal at the annual league meetings in March, according to ESPN.
National funding as part of the league's current plan would offer 25 percent to the United Negro College Fund and another 25 percent to Dream Corps. The Players Coalition, which has filed for paperwork for nonprofit status, would get the remaining 50 percent.
Two players already have expressed displeasure with the NFL's proposal and plan to part from the Players Coalition, a group of approximately 40 players. Philadelphia Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins and former NFL wide receiver Anquan Boldin are viewed as the leaders of the Players Coalition.
San Francisco safety Eric Reid and Miami Dolphins safety Michael Thomas said they are withdrawing by releasing the same statement on Wednesday.
"With much thought and consideration, I've decided to officially withdraw my involvement in The Players Coalition founded by Malcolm Jenkins and Anquan Boldin," the statement read.
"The Players Coalition was supposed to be formed as a group that represents NFL athletes who have been silently protesting social injustices and racism. However, Malcolm and Anquan can no longer speak on our behalf as we don't believe the coalition's beliefs are in our best interests as a whole.
"We will continue to have dialogue with the league to find equitable solutions but without Malcolm and Anquan as our representative."
Reid was the first player to kneel beside Kaepernick last season during the latter's demonstration to shine a light on police brutality and social injustice.
Kaepernick opted out of his deal with the 49ers in the spring and has remained unsigned with some believing he is being blackballed from the league. Kaepernick filed a grievance against the NFL in October accusing teams of collusion.
source: news.abs-cbn.com
