The Player’s Coalition wrote a letter to Congress backing a bill to end qualified immunity for law enforcement. Among the many names signed, the Indianapolis Colts 41 players, coaches and former players.
Here is an excerpt from the letter sent to Congress from the Player’s Coalition on qualified immunity:
“We are writing to ask that you pass the bill to end qualified immunity introduced by Representatives Justin Amash and Ayanna Pressley. Congress passed the Ku Klux Klan Act in 1871 to give ordinary citizens recourse when powerful public officials violate constitutional rights. By passing that Act, codified in 42 U.S.C. 1983, Congress told its citizenry that no one is above the law, especially those who abuse government power. A healthy democracy requires no less; citizens must know that if those who promise to uphold the law and protect the community fail to do so, there is a remedy available. The law, as one author has noted, is “a bulwark of American liberty.”
The Supreme Court has caused irreparable harm to public trust by creating and then expanding the doctrine of qualified immunity, which often exempts police officers and others from liability, even for shocking abuse. Under that doctrine, first developed in 1967 and widened ever since, plaintiffs must show that government officials violated “clearly established” law to receive damages for harm. A plaintiff wins only if a prior Court found an official liable under a nearly identical fact-pattern. This standard is virtually impossible to meet, and the protections promised under section 1983 seem largely symbolic as a result.”
The following are the 41 names representing the Colts who signed the letter sent to Congress:
| Ben Banogu | Rodrigo Blankenship | Julian Blackmon | Jacoby Brissett |
| Parris Campbell | Sheldon Day | Jack Doyle | Donald Rutledge |
| Jacob Eason | Matt Eberflus | Jake Eldrenkamp | Zaire Franklin |
| Daurice Fountain | T.Y. Hilton | Marcus Johnson | Darius Leonard |
| Tyquan Lewis | Marlon Mack | Robert Mathis | Skai Moore |
| Kenny Moore | Al-Quadin Muhammad | Quenton Nelson | Roosevelt Nix |
| Bobby Okereke | Zach Pascal | Michael Pittman | Isaiah Rodgers |
| Luke Rhodes | Marvell Tell | Rigoberto Sanchez | Nick Sirianni |
| Grover Stewart | Braden Smith | Jonathan Taylor | Kemoko Turay |
| Chad Williams | Anthony Walker | Khari Willis | Rock Ya-Sin |
| Chris Ballard |