PERSONAL FOUL

Cop Who Shot Dreasjon Reed Sues NFL Over Videos ‘Honoring’ Victims of Police Violence

De’Joure Mercer’s lawyers argue that the videos imply that Mercer’s interactions with Reed were comparable to the murder of George Floyd.

Indianapolis police officer, De’Joure Mercer, shot and killed Dreasjon Reed last May. Now, he’s suing the National Football League over an online campaign featuring Reed and others killed by police. Mercer, who is still employed as an officer, filed the complaint Monday regarding online posts and videos produced by the NFL for a campaign to “honor victims of systemic racism, victims of police misconduct, and social justice heroes.” Mercer’s lawyers argue that the videos imply that Mercer’s interactions with Reed were comparable to the murder of George Floyd. “This inference, implication, and imputation is false because Mercer committed no such acts,” the complaint says.

In November, a grand jury chose not to indict Mercer for shooting Reed who, state investigators say, fired two shots at Mercer during the foot pursuit. Reed’s family denies the allegations. The NFL has not yet responded to the complaint.