“There’s a Lot of Bias in the Autopsies”: Colin Kaepernick Details the Importance of His Autopsy Initiative

In the last decade, Colin Kaepernick has been one of the most polarizing athletes in the country. Everyone has an opinion of him, but what no one can deny is that he is a man of his word. After taking a knee against police brutality during the national anthem before games, he has not only launched several initiatives to help battle racial discrimination but also elevated his actions by offering free autopsies to victims of police brutality.

Started in February 2022, Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp organization introduced a groundbreaking solution to address cases of discrimination and malpractice in autopsies. Through his organization, Colin introduced the concept of a second autopsy, allowing family members of victims to approach Know Your Rights Camp for a free autopsy conducted by independent pathologists.

In Know Your Rights Camp’s latest Instagram post, Colin noted that the need for a secondary autopsy stems from the complex and interconnected nature of the judicial system and the forensic department.

In cases of police brutality where the police themselves are the perpetrators, Colin noted that having a pathologist from the state forensic department with a close relationship with the police could introduce bias. Thus, giving the families of victims a chance for a second autopsy would be a healthy way to assist the justice system in their decision-making. Colin said in the video:

“The key factor there in police-related deaths is oftentimes, the sheriff is the coroner, the pathologist who is doing the autopsy… they have a relationship with the police department. [Thus] there is a lot of bias in autopsy.”

Objectively speaking, this is an incredibly well-thought-out and much-needed act of social welfare by Colin. NFL fans in the comments section agreed with this sentiment and backed more states and countries across the globe to make secondary autopsies accessible.

Netizens Thank Colin Kaepernick for His Initiative

A socially relevant and well-thought-out initiative like this was bound to receive praise from all corners of the internet. So, as soon as the post went up, netizens flocked to the comments and showed no discount in praising the former NFL player to the fullest.

Heartwarmingly, netizens also had the opportunity to witness two beneficiaries of Colin’s initiative as they expressed their gratitude on his Instagram reel.

Others, meanwhile, had a bittersweet reaction, as they were proud of Colin for the initiative but were also disappointed that such an initiative was needed in the first place.

That being said, it is truly beautiful to see athletes like Colin making the most of their popularity and resources. It is commendable how the former NFL QB hasn’t stopped working against police brutality with the countless initiatives that he has funded and been part of.