Several current and former Baltimore Ravens players, including wide receiver Anquan Boldin and linebacker Patrick Queen, have joined support for a federal bill to end qualified immunity for police. In total, over 1,400 current and former professional athletes and coaches from the NFL, MLB, and NBA signed the petition from the Players Coalition to members of the United States Congress.
The request comes as protests continue in major cities around the country in the wake of George Floyd’s death in police custody. Though the four officers involved in Floyd’s arrest have been arrested and charged for his death, the matter has sparked civil unrest as protesters seek changes to police policies and funding.
The Ravens are well represented in the letter with a bevy of familiar names, both current and past, adding to the list. In addition to current and former players like Boldin, Queen, Ed Reed and Torrey Smith, Ravens president Dick Cass was among those to add his name to the cause. In total, Baltimore has ties to at least 29 of those mentioned by name in the letter, including the following:
Ravens president Dick Cass
Linebacker Patrick Queen
Defensive back Justin Bethel
Defensive lineman Calais Campbell
Defensive tackle Justin Ellis
Former wide receiver Anquan Boldin
Former quarterback Tony Banks
Former linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo
Former cornerback Gary Baxter
Former safety Terrence Brooks
Former wide receiver Mark Clayton
Former wide receiver Yamon Figurs
Former defensive tackle Dwan Edwards
Former offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor
Former cornerback Corey Ivy
Former fullback Kyle Juszczyk
Former wide receiver Jermaine Lewis
Former fullback Vonta Leach
Former wide receiver Breshad Perriman
Former running back Ray Rice
Former safety Ed Reed
Former defensive lineman Cory Redding
Former wide receiver Torrey Smith
Former wide receiver Steve Smith Sr.
Former linebacker Courtney Upshaw
Former linebacker Adalius Thomas
Former tight end Benjamin Watson
Former safety Anthony Weaver
Former center Jeremy Zuttah
Ending qualified immunity would make it easier for citizens to sue police officers accused of brutality. In the letter, the Players Coalition called on Congress to eliminate qualified immunity so, “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.”
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