How Colin Kaepernick's story fizzled

ESPN may not have killed docuseries over politics, but the network must be relieved

- LZ GRANDERSON COLUMNIST

"CREATIVE DIFFERENCES" between director Spike Lee, right, and activist Colin Kaepernick stalled their project until it died.

THERE WERE 27 bullet casings found at the scene of Mario Woods' death in San Francisco back in 2015. Armed with a knife and under the influence of methamphetamine, the 26-year-old Black man had ignored several orders from police to drop his weapon before five officers opened fire.

Woods was struck more than 20 times including twice in the skull and six times in the back. Cellphone footage appears to show Woods walking away from the officers before they began shooting that December day. Investigators would later say the shooting was excessive, but no charges were filed because Woods was a legitimate threat. Police got involved because Woods had been suspected of stabbing someone earlier that day. Still, the manner of his death it looked like a firing squad-sparked weeks of outrage around the Bay Area. That would include Santa Clara, where the 50th Super Bowl was being played in Levi Stadium, home of the 49ers.

Nowadays the shorthand for Colin Kaepernick's story starts at his 2016 protest during the national anthem, then continues with a collusion grievance against the NFL and a subsequent settlement.

However, you need to start earlier because Kaepernick's protest didn't start in a vacuum.

Then the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, he began his demonstrations in the season following the shooting of Mario Woods.

And sadly, that fatality was not a one-off.