Colin Kaepernick Volunteers To Pay For 2nd Autopsy of Black Man Whose Family Believes He Was Eaten Alive In Jail By Bed Bugs

Colin Kaepernick Volunteers To Pay For 2nd Autopsy of Black Man Whose Family Believes He Was Eaten Alive In Jail By Bed Bugs

Colin Kaepernick is lending a helping hand to the family of a Black man who died in a Georgia jail facility.

The former NFL player and social justice activist will cover the cost of an autopsy for Lashawn Thompson, 35, who died in his cell at Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail. Colin Kaepernick made the decision to pay for the autopsy — which can run between $20,000 and $50,000 — after the original one performed by the medical examiner yielded no conclusive results.

While the results of the official autopsy were “undetermined,” Lashawn Thompson‘s family believes his September 2022 death was directly related to the appalling and unsanitary conditions at the facility. The family alleged that their loved one’s body was covered in bug bites.

Colin Kaepernick learned about the incident and contacted the family’s lawyer, Ben Crump, and volunteered to pay for a second, independent autopsy. According to reports, Kaepernick and the Thompson family have already started the process.

Ben Crump

Attorney Michael Harper, who is also representing Thompson‘s family, spoke about the condition of his cell and displayed images during a press conference last week. He said,

“The cell he was in was not fit for a diseased animal. This is inexcusable and it’s deplorable.”

In addition to wishing to give the family closure, Kaepernick reportedly felt and still feels bad about the treatment of other inmates initially detained for a misdemeanor simple battery. Three high-ranking jail employees have resigned as a result of the jail conditions outcry. The Fulton County Sheriff stated,

“It’s clear to me that it’s time, past time, to clean house.”

He added that they are implementing “sweeping changes” to the facility in the wake of the outcry over the jail’s conditions.

What are your thoughts on the entire situation? Let us know in the comments!

[VIA]