Colin Kaepernick proved yet again that his crusade for justice knows no bounds of the field. The one-time NFL player is footing the bill for a private autopsy of Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a college student at Delta State University who was found dead and has left his family and community with more questions about his demise.
Civil rights lawyer Ben Crump released the statement Friday, saying without reservation that Reed’s family deserves transparency. The family will pursue the second autopsy after the state medical examiner releases his body.
A Campus Shaken and a Family Searching for Answers
The body of Trey was discovered on the morning of September 15th, around the college pickleball courts. He was merely 21, a young Black man who was a resident of Grenada, Mississippi. The school was so devastated that it led to the suspension of classes for the day, providing students and instructors with time to absorb what occurred.
Even after two days, on September 17th, the Mississippi State Medical Examiner ruled the death of Trey a suicide hanging. DSU Police Chief Mike Peeler added that there was “no indication of foul play.” His statement was later confirmed by the office of the Bolivar County Coroner, as there was no sign of an assault upon primary examination. Toxicological examination might still take weeks.
But Trey’s family is not at ease. There are too many details muddled, too many questions unanswered. And for a Black family in Mississippi, believing in the system without verifying and re-verifying is a privilege it cannot afford.
Kaepernick Project Gives Families An Equal Fighting Chance
Trey’s second autopsy funding is through Colin Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative. He created it so that families, and particularly Black families, have the means available for them to request independent autopsies in case the state narrative doesn’t jibe with them.
During times like these, the effort is a lifeline. Every family may not have the funds available for a private autopsy, but Kaepernick is ensuring Trey’s family is not left in the unknown.
Ben Crump described it best thus: “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.”
