Change appears to be on the horizon.
The killing of George Floyd while in the hands of Minneapolis police offices sparked a national conversation about the role of police forces, and how to eliminate police brutality.
One of the bigger movements that has gained a ton of momentum is an end to the doctrine of qualified immunity.
On Wednesday, over 1,400 sports figures over different leagues signed onto a letter from The Players Coalition calling for legislation to end the doctrine of qualified immunity.
Some NFL stars included Drew Brees, Tom Brady, Carson Wentz, Dak Prescott, Myles Garrett, Malcolm Jenkins, and more.
The letter, which cites other examples of courts failing to find officers liable under the “substantially similar facts” test, ends with a powerful call to action:
“We are tired of conversations around police accountability that go nowhere, and we have engaged in too many ‘listening sessions,’ where we discuss whether there is a problem of police violence in this country,” the Players Coalition wrote in its letter to Congress. “There is a problem. The world witnessed it when Officer [Derek] Chauvin murdered George Floyd, and the world is watching it now, as officers deploy enormous force on peaceful protestors like those who were standing outside of the White House last week.
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“The time for debate about the unchecked authority of the police is over; it is now time for change.”
“It is time for Congress to eliminate qualified immunity and it can do so by passing the Amash-Pressley Bill,” the letter to Congress reads. “When police officers kill an unarmed man, when they beat a woman, or when they shoot a child, the people of this country must have a way to hold them accountable in a court of law.
“And officers must know that if they act in such a manner, there will be repercussions. A legal system that does not provide such a recourse is an illegitimate one. In their grief, people have taken to the streets because for too long, their government has failed to protect them. The Courts and elected officials alike have instead shielded people who caused unspeakable harm. Congress must not be complicit in these injustices, and it should take this important step to show that law enforcement abuse will not be tolerated.”
The full text of the letter can be viewed here.
