Kisha Smith

In what is his latest justice initiative, former NFL quarterback-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick is offering free autopsies for police-related deaths through his Know Your Rights Camp.

While a victim’s first autopsy is conducted by the coroner or medical examiner, concerns have arisen in the police-related deaths relative to the reliability and objectivity of the autopsy along with the risk of evidence manipulation, faulty forensic procedures and potential bias.

“We know that the prison industrial complex, which includes police and policing, strives to protect and serve its interests at all costs,” Kaepernick said. “The Autopsy Initiative is one important step toward ensuring that family members have access to accurate and forensically verifiable information about the cause of death of their loved one in their time of need.”

The objective of the Autopsy Initiative (“Initiative”) is to provide a second autopsy free-of-charge for victims’ families to eliminate any concerns related to the original autopsy with full access to the reports findings. The hope is that the new initiative will help eliminate the inherent bias associated with government authorities’ handling of fatal police interactions.

The initiative includes a team of board-certified pathologists who would work objectively, efficiently and, diligently while relying on established forensic principles when conducting the second autopsy actively seeking the truth to provide the victims’ families with the most medically sound cause of death.

Requests for the service can be made by anyone with a close relationship with the victim including the victim’s spouse, partner, relative, close friend, or lawyer. However, only the victim’s legal representative and/or other authorized individuals can legally authorize the autopsy.

For more information, individuals can visit www.knowyourrightscamp.com.