Colin Kaepernick Will Fund A Second Autopsy On A Prisoner Who Died From Bed Bugs
Colin Kaepernick is assisting a family investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of a family member in a Georgia prison.
According to TMZ, the former professional football player will pay for a second autopsy on LaShawn Thompson. In June 2022, the 35-year-old was apprehended for misdemeanor battery and booked into the Fulton County Jail. At some point, he was transferred to the psychiatric section of the facility to receive treatment for schizophrenia.
Then, three months later, the individual was discovered lifeless in his cell with bed bugs and lice covering his entire body. According to Thompson’s family and legal counsel, the staff was aware of the severity of the bed bug infestation but neglected to assist him. Despite the appalling condition of his living quarters as a result of the infestation, the initial postmortem performed by the county medical examiner was unable to determine the cause of death. Since then, his family members have desperately sought an independent autopsy to ascertain what actually transpired.
Independent autopsies can cost between $20,000 and $50,000, but both Kaepernick’s and Thompson’s families believe it is necessary to obtain justice. According to reports, the former quarterback was outraged by the living conditions Thompson and other inmates were forced to endure. In response to the outcry from him, the victim’s family, and activists, three high-ranking correctional officials have resigned. Michael Harper, an attorney for Thompson’s family, states that the facility allowed Thompson to be “eaten alive” by bugs without intervention. With the family’s permission, he released graphic images of Thompson’s postmortem corpse covered in insects, compelling authorities to take action. Ben Crump, a civil rights attorney, reports that the individual had over 1,000 bed bugs and other insects on his body at the time of his death.
The new autopsy will probably aid the family’s efforts to launch a criminal investigation.