There have been 27 bullet casings discovered on the scene of Mario Woods’ demise in San Francisco again in 2015. Armed with a knife and beneath the affect of methamphetamine, the 26-year-old Black man had ignored a number of orders from police to drop his weapon earlier than 5 officers opened hearth.
Woods was struck greater than 20 occasions together with twice within the cranium and 6 occasions within the again. Cellphone footage seems to indicate Woods strolling away from the officers earlier than they started taking pictures that December day. Investigators would later say the taking pictures was extreme, however no prices had been filed as a result of Woods was a professional menace. Police bought concerned as a result of Woods had been suspected of stabbing somebody earlier that day. Nonetheless, the style of his demise — it appeared like a firing squad — sparked weeks of shock across the Bay Space. That would come with Santa Clara, the place the fiftieth Tremendous Bowl was being performed in Levi Stadium, dwelling of the 49ers.
These days the shorthand for Colin Kaepernick’s story begins at his 2016 protest through the nationwide anthem, then continues with a collusion grievance towards the NFL and a subsequent settlement.
Nevertheless, you want to begin earlier as a result of Kaepernick’s protest didn’t begin in a vacuum. Then the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, he started his demonstrations within the season following the taking pictures of Mario Woods.
And sadly, that fatality was not a one-off.
Between 2013, the yr Kapernick led the 49ers to the Tremendous Bowl, and 2016, 9 of the 11 individuals killed by the San Francisco Police Division had been individuals of coloration. After an investigation, the federal authorities finally handed the division 272 suggestions for enchancment.
All of this occurred in Kaepernick’s proverbial yard. A few of the protests in response to Woods’ taking pictures had been on the stadium he known as dwelling. That is the place his saga started.
And after almost a decade, it appears right here is the place it ends.
Earlier this week, director Spike Lee instructed Reuters that his extremely anticipated docuseries primarily based on Kaepernick’s activism won’t be launched due to artistic variations. The information was startling provided that the 2 had been engaged on the venture for 3 years. Kaepernick himself had chosen the Oscar winner to direct the ESPN venture.
“It’s not popping out. That’s all I can say,” Lee mentioned.
A nondisclosure settlement prevented him from elaborating, nonetheless ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro later instructed CNBC that immediately’s political local weather didn’t play a job within the determination to scrap the documentary. He additionally mentioned ESPN’s relationship with the NFL wasn’t an element, regardless of the timing and optics.
“Spike was on the crimson carpet and was requested this query considerably out of the blue and that’s why it turned information,” Pitaro mentioned. “There have been artistic variations. We made the choice in partnership with Colin and Spike to not transfer ahead, many months earlier than any NFL announcement.”
After talking off the document with a number of individuals acquainted with the Kaepernick venture, I can say this a lot appears true: The artistic variations Pitaro referenced had been evident early. Lee wished to make a documentary that was closely centered on police brutality in America, and Kaepernick wished it extra centered on his lived expertise. Both method might have made for a powerful docuseries. Nevertheless, there have been occasions through the making of the venture when the hole of their visions led to durations of the 2 not speaking. There have been additionally a number of notes. Like … rather a lot.
However right here’s the factor: I’m instructed Kaepernick and Lee landed on a model of the venture that each had been proud of, and that ESPN had permission to air it nicely earlier than the 2024 election.
From what I collect, artistic variations extended the completion of the venture, and over the course of that added time, the change in America’s political palate gave the community pause. I’m instructed Lee used a number of minutes of video from numerous high-profile police shootings within the collection and that it contained vital criticism of Trump’s first administration.
After the homicide of George Floyd in Might 2020, Kaepernick’s earlier protests towards police brutality had been most likely seen extra favorably by extra individuals. Greenlighting a docuseries about his work in July 2020 most likely felt comfy for Pitaro and ESPN. Nevertheless, airing such content material immediately might anger a president who’s focused Kaepernick, the NFL and ESPN earlier than.
How might this not have been an element within the scrapping of the venture? To not acknowledge the White Home’s shadow hanging over immediately’s media trade basically — and journalism particularly — is simply gaslighting individuals.
My guess is the “artistic variations” didn’t kill the venture, however the delays attributable to them gave the community a approach to keep away from a potential headache. As disappointing as that will sound, the fact is the Tremendous Bowl has been essentially the most watched program within the nation yearly since protesters gathered close to Levi Stadium to precise outrage over Woods’ demise. And the NFL stays the nation’s hottest league.
The choice to not air Lee’s docuseries on Kaepernick might not be nice for freedom of speech or expression … however it’s undoubtedly nice for enterprise.
YouTube: @LZGrandersonShow
