Rage to relief in Baltimore as 6 officers charged in death

[Lite Beer]

Rage to relief in Baltimore as 6 officers charged in death
JULIET LINDERMAN, Associated Press
AMANDA LEE MYERS, Associated Press

BALTIMORE (AP) — Rage turned to relief in Baltimore on Friday when the city's top prosecutor charged six police officers with felonies ranging from assault to murder in the death of Freddie Gray.

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said Gray's arrest was illegal and unjustified, and that his neck was broken because he was handcuffed, shackled and placed head-first into a police van, where his pleas for medical attention were repeatedly ignored as he bounced around inside the small metal box.

The swiftness of her announcement, less than a day after receiving the police department's criminal investigation and official autopsy results, took the city by surprise. So too did her detailed description, based in part on her office's independent investigation, of the evidence supporting probable cause to charge all six officers with felonies.

Gray's death came amid a national debate about the deaths of black men at the hands of police.

The police had no reason to stop or chase after Gray, Mosby said. They falsely accused him of having an illegal switchblade when in fact it was a legal pocketknife. The van driver and the other officers failed to strap him down with a seatbelt, a direct violation of department policy, and they ignored Gray's repeated pleas for medical attention, even rerouting the van to pick up another passenger.

Mosby did not say whether there was any indication the driver deliberately drove erratically, causing Gray's body to strike the van's interior. In 2005, a man died of a fractured spine after he was transported in a Baltimore police van in handcuffs and without a seat belt. At a civil trial, an attorney for his family successfully argued police had given him a "rough ride."

The officers missed five opportunities to help an injured and falsely imprisoned detainee before he arrived at the police station no longer breathing, she said. Along the way, "Mr. Gray suffered a severe and critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside of the BPD wagon," she concluded.

Her announcement triggered celebrations across the same West Baltimore streets that were smoldering just four days earlier, when Gray's funeral led to riots and looting.

"We are satisfied with today's charges," Gray's stepfather, Richard Shipley, told a news conference. "These charges are an important step in getting justice for Freddie."

But a lawyer hired by the police union insisted the officers did nothing wrong. Attorney Michael Davey said Friday that Mosby has committed "an egregious rush to judgment."

"We have grave concerns about the fairness and integrity of the prosecution of our officers," Davey said.

Mosby rejected a police union request to step aside and appoint a special prosecutor to handle the case, and said honorable police officers should have no problem working with prosecutors in Baltimore.

Other law enforcement veterans worried that the charges could have a chilling effect. Robert Leight, a former detective in Pennsylvania who has worked for the FBI and as a federal prosecutor and defense attorney, said "the biggest danger is that the police officer will not properly perform his duties."

"It puts him at risk, it puts the other officers around him at risk, and it puts the public at risk," Leight said. "A police officer must react instinctively as he has been trained. If a police officer first thinks about what liabilities he will be facing, it's too late."

Gray was stopped by police in Sandtown, a poor, overwhelmingly African-American neighborhood in West Baltimore. He locked eyes with a police officer and then ran. Two blocks later, they pinned him to the sidewalk, handcuffed him and dragged him into a transport van, a scene captured on a bystander's cellphone video and shown around the world.

Mosby said the police review, the autopsy and her own office's investigation all point to homicide. The officers were booked Friday on charges ranging from assault and manslaughter, carrying 10-year prison sentences, to second-degree "depraved heart" murder, which could put the van driver in prison for 30 years if convicted.

In a city that struggles daily with pervasive poverty and widespread joblessness, failing schools, drug addiction, a crumbling infrastructure and corruption, Gray's death has become emblematic of the broad social and economic problems holding Baltimore down. But unlike other major cities grappling with police killings, Baltimore's mayor, state's attorney and police commissioner are black, like the majority of the city's population.

Helen Holton, a 20-year veteran city councilmember, said the announcement by Mosby, who accused her predecessor of being out of touch with the community, is "a defining moment in the future of Baltimore."

"It's time. I hate that Freddie Gray is not here," she said. "I hate it, but to Freddie Gray's legacy, he has served as the tipping point for us to take a real inside look at what many people have chosen to ignore."

The city, which has been on edge since Gray's death on April 19, remains under a nighttime curfew, with 2,000 National Guard troops augmenting police reinforcements from around the state of Maryland. Malik Shabazz, the president of Black Lawyers for Justice, says Saturday's protest march will now be a "victory rally," and said Mosby is "setting a standard for prosecutors all over the nation."

---

Associated Press writer Amanda Lee Myers contributed to this report.

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-05-02

[klauskunkel]

Robert Leight, a former detective in Pennsylvania who has worked for the FBI and as a federal prosecutor and defense attorney, said "the biggest danger is that the police officer will not properly perform his duties."

"It puts him at risk, it puts the other officers around him at risk, and it puts the public at risk," Leight said. "A police officer must react instinctively as he has been trained. If a police officer first thinks about what liabilities he will be facing, it's too late."

I do understand and agree with the statement that "police officers must react instinctively", however, on the ride to the station there was no need to "react instinctively" anymore, instead there was ample time for officers "to think about liabilities", and as I see it was a deliberate choice of the officers to "violate department policy" and murder the man.

[Ulysses G.]

I really doubt if the police had any intention of killing the the man. He pissed them off, so they tortured him a little, without intending anything more. The police commonly mistreat prisoners - of every color. It is no surprise to anyone who has ever been in the justice system.

Edited May 2, 2015 by Ulysses G.

[oneday]

"...it puts the other officers around him at risk, and it puts the public at risk," Leight said. "A police officer must react instinctively as he has been trained. If a police officer first thinks about what liabilities he will be facing, it's too late..."

Total lawyer BS. There is nothing justifiable or instinctive about handcuffing and shackling a person and then throwing them in a vehicle without a seat-belt. To have gotten his neck broken seems to prove the driver intentionally drove rough. Seems pretty clear these officers had something to prove. I hope they fry. If other officers will not do their job because of this indictment then that's on them.

[Choctastic]

Long overdue. Racist policing from steroid-pumped Police thugs, allowed to murder with impunity, needs to stop.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Will they arrest the mayor for instead of arresting the criminal thugs destroying public and private property ordered police to stand down and give them space to destroy ?

If that was my shop they would have 1 warning to get out, but I know they wouldn't, all these looters would be shot now, evey one of them who looted.

The policing problem is much more than just "loose" cops, but the whole big brother system.

[yankee99]

Long overdue. Racist policing from steroid-pumped Police thugs, allowed to murder with impunity, needs to stop.

So which of the 6 officers are racist? The 3 black ones involved or the 3 white omes? As for steriods they must have been duped with placebos.

[Jeffreyake]

I really doubt if the police had any intention of killing the the man. He pissed them off, so they tortured him a little, without intending anything more. The police commonly mistreat prisoners - of every color. It is no surprise to anyone who has ever been in the justice system.

why nobody speaks about Americanness?!

or for white American policemen it's normal to torture the person who "pissed them off"?

I imagine those gigabytes of bashing which would be written here if this story happened in Thailand, and that poor guy happened to be a farang...

but if he is black and police men are white - lets justify them!

dear American police-haters! where is your voice against this murder?! or blacks for you are even worse than police?

"HE IS A SON OF A BITCH, BUT HE'S OUR SON OF A BITCH" rule is still alive

Edited May 2, 2015 by Jeffreyake

[ttthailand]

Long overdue. Racist policing from steroid-pumped Police thugs, allowed to murder with impunity, needs to stop.

Three of the officers were black so I don't think you can play the race card this time, nice try ....

[Ulysses G.]

I really doubt if the police had any intention of killing the the man. He pissed them off, so they tortured him a little, without intending anything more. The police commonly mistreat prisoners - of every color. It is no surprise to anyone who has ever been in the justice system.

why nobody speaks about Americanness?!

or for white American policemen it's normal to torture the person who "pissed them off"?

It has nothing to do with color. Police in America often mistreat prisoners and the race does not matter. They are trained to think of criminals as scum and they feel justified to treat them accordingly. That is the American justice system.

[JLCrab]

Mom filmed berating her son at Baltimore riots didn’t ‘want him to be a Freddie Gray

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/local/wp/2015/04/28/woman-called-mom-of-the-year-after-beating-a-young-man-out-of-baltimore-riots/?tid=ptv_rellink

Edited May 2, 2015 by JLCrab

[klauskunkel]

I really doubt if the police had any intention of killing the the man. He pissed them off, so they tortured him a little, without intending anything more. The police commonly mistreat prisoners - of every color. It is no surprise to anyone who has ever been in the justice system.

Actually, I believe otherwise; Baltimore PD has a precedent of this behavior and all of Baltimore's police officers know what might happen when they "indulge":

In 2005, a man died of a fractured spine after he was transported in a Baltimore police van in handcuffs and without a seat belt. At a civil trial, an attorney for his family successfully argued police had given him a "rough ride."

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

It will be interesting to see the videos that surface once more police will be wearing body cams. I hope they start to distribute videos of some of the scum that they have to deal with on a daily basis.

There is no justifying excessive force by the police but I sure wouldn't want their job of dealing with societies worst on a daily basis.

[26vinny]

American police are as arrogant as the German police,they treat everybody as if they are lesser mortals,i have had dealings with both of them,German police stopped me for being in the wrong lane on an autobahn,when i got out of my seat to ask what the problem was, one of them tried to push me over,when i never even moved he took a gun out to me,fined 70 Deutsche Mark

American police after playing a game of American football i bumped into a police officer whilst going around a corner, i apologised to him and he got really threatening to me, he tried to pull his gun out, not quick enough,i knocked him out, and left the area pronto, never met a good police officer anywhere i have been, and i have travelled extensively, with work. At least here in England there are some good officers

[klauskunkel]

American police after playing a game of American football i bumped into a police officer whilst going around a corner, i apologised to him and he got really threatening to me, he tried to pull his gun out, not quick enough,i knocked him out, and left the area pronto, never met a good police officer anywhere i have been, and i have travelled extensively, with work. At least here in England there are some good officers

26vinny...is that you, Vinnie Jones?

[JetsetBkk]

It's going to be very difficult to prove which of the officers caused the actual injury that caused the death of Mr Gray.

One can imagine all sorts of scenarios, from Mr Gray lying on the floor of the van and sliding head first into a metal bulkhead when the brakes were sharply applied, to having his neck broken when thrown into the van or even broken when being picked up.

How can the precise injury that caused his death be determined?

"Reasonable doubt" will probably let most, if not all, of them go free.

And Baltimore will burn again.

[montereyjp]

It is normal for police officers to get agitated and then loose self control when a suspect is resisting arrest especially when using force but once the subject is subdued they need to calm themselves down and then follow procedures.. This should be part of their training if it is not already.. If you handcuff and shackle someone then it is now your responsibility to take care of them as you took away to their ability to protect themselves.. is that a part of their training? It would seem these things are common sense.. It seems we as humans are loosing our compassion for the welfare of others.. I think it is the sign of the times as we move further and further away from the time when we lived in villages to today's world where we isolate ourselves in a sterile room in a protected environment with thousands of others we never meet even though we live in the same building getting all our news online and most anything we want delivered to our door..

I think the world needs a refresher course on compassion and humanities.. After all I believe we are all humans..

[JDGRUEN]

‘It looks like APPEASEMENT OF THE MOB’

– Krauthammer on Baltimore charges

Charles Krauthammer weighed in on the charges made against the Baltimore police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray, and he thinks it might add up to simple appeasement of the mob.

http://therightscoop.com/it-looks-like-appeasement-of-the-mob-krauthammer-on-baltimore-charges/

[JDGRUEN]

Law Professor: Baltimore Officers Were Overcharged,

Charges Will Likely Be Dismissed

I think a prosecutor is going to have a hard time proving that the actions did in fact cause death, since they seem to have no theory as to how it occurred,” Banzhaf said in a phone interview



http://dailycaller.com/2015/05/01/law-professor-baltimore-officers-were-overcharged-charges-will-likely-be-dismissed/

[JDGRUEN]

Celebrating ... logic of the looter

Baltimore Rally: Burn Down Stores to Get Them ‘Out of Our Communities’

...“Brother Rose,” in winding and sometimes incoherent speech, praised the burning of a CVS store at the corner of Pennsylvania and North Avenues... "They heard that the youth of Baltimore are going to get justice by any means necessary.”...

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/02/baltimore-rally-burn-down-stores-to-get-them-out-of-our-communities/

[NeverSure]

By rioting, looting, and burning, these thugs have assured that there will be fewer stores and other businesses, and then fewer jobs. It's a downward cycle into the inevitable wasteland. Some of the stores were chain stores like 7-11 and CVS and I'd be shocked if they rebuild. Who would?

What was bad becomes worse while these people ask why society doesn't do more for them. "Society" as in the hardworking segment which builds up nice neighborhoods instead of tearing them down, pays taxes instead of collecting "entitlements" and which built that area into a beautiful place originally.

[zydeco]

By rioting, looting, and burning, these thugs have assured that there will be fewer stores and other businesses, and then fewer jobs. It's a downward cycle into the inevitable wasteland. Some of the stores were chain stores like 7-11 and CVS and I'd be shocked if they rebuild. Who would?

What was bad becomes worse while these people ask why society doesn't do more for them. "Society" as in the hardworking segment which builds up nice neighborhoods instead of tearing them down, pays taxes instead of collecting "entitlements" and which built that area into a beautiful place originally.

It's not uncommon for big city newspapers and civic leaders to complain about the lack of decent stores that serve their constituents and readers in "urban areas." They nag and promise and complain and whinge and even threaten legal actions until some stupid chain like CVS finds itself mau-maued into opening up a branch store in one of these pits of hell. And soon enough, the flash mobs, the burglaries, the thefts, the lootings and eventually rioting erupts to remind them of the stupidity of their decision.

[NeverSure]

I agree that the officers were overcharged and in haste. Perhaps it was the hope of restoring order but that's not a valid excuse. The officers individually have a right to a presumption of innocence and the prosecutor has to prove who exactly did what if anything.

This reminds me of a case of the Feds against two pilots who were in a private aircraft. I can't even remember what they were charged with but the case was dismissed because the Feds couldn't name which one was pilot in command. They were both legally qualified to fly the plane and which seat each was in is also irrelevant as to who is PIC.

[MaxYakov]

Celebrating ... logic of the looter

Baltimore Rally: Burn Down Stores to Get Them ‘Out of Our Communities’

...“Brother Rose,” in winding and sometimes incoherent speech, praised the burning of a CVS store at the corner of Pennsylvania and North Avenues... "They heard that the youth of Baltimore are going to get justice by any means necessary.”...

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/05/02/baltimore-rally-burn-down-stores-to-get-them-out-of-our-communities/

Good Luck with that, Professor. Freddie Gray is now a martyr and these six cops are going to get "legally lynched".

[Publicus]

A major and central aspect of the ongoing problem is described by Cameron McConnell, formerly deputy Sheriff of Mississippi County, Missouri, a state in the central US that is often described as a microcosm of the United States as a whole...

As a very generalized rule, most cops are fiscally conservative, social moderates and tend to be more focused on local politics than national issues. This is why you may find many of them, (quietly), in either the Libertarian or TEA party camps. Militia groups are filled to the brim with local PD and Deputy Sheriffs. For the most part they will be pro second amendment, avid preppers and, believe it or not, AGAINST big government.

http://www.quora.com/Are-most-cops-in-the-U-S-Democratic-or-Republican

Police have a tough daily grind of a job and I share the view of the President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police Richard Beary that police 98% of the time do the right thing. However, the politics and political views of too many police, which often can be extreme or even intemperate, only make their own job tougher and is causing too many police throughout the country to lose the confidence of the society as a whole.

http://www.theiacp.org/ViewResult?SearchID=2558