Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby gave an update on the investigation into the death of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old who died after suffering a spinal cord injury while in police custody in April, calling his death a homicide.
"We have probable cause to file criminal charges," Mosby said in a press conference Friday.
Charges including second degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and assault, among others, will be filed against the officers involved in Gray's arrest, Mosby said.
Mosby noted that "no crime had been committed by Mr. Gray." Police had said Gray was arrested for possessing a switchblade, but Mosby said Friday the knife in Gray's possession was not a switchblade and was lawful, and said officers "illegally arrested" Gray.
"We are very much committed to pursuing justice," Mosby said.
Wow! I have to admit that I was beginning to think that the broom was out and that things were about to be swept under the rug.
This is nothing short of amazing, and I think the people of Baltimore will finally feel that their voices have been heard.
The charges in #Baltimore. pic.twitter.com/N7k18a5hVV
— Alan Blinder (@alanblinder) May 1, 2015
Of course this in no way ensures that these men will be convicted, but it is the first step to making sure that justice is served.I heard somebody today, it might have been Sharpton, suggest that Baltimore was setting an example which could shame other cities where this kind of thing has happened, and where justice was denied.
President Obama: The Truth Needs To Come Out About What Happened To Freddie Gray
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/01/president-obama-truth-happened-freddie-gray.html
We'll see. Police have been charged before - and found innocent. Hope for justice this time.
ReplyDeleteYep... We in Cleveland are waiting to hear what will happen to the cop who stood on the hood of a car involved in a chase and shot into the car, reloaded, and shot some more- 49 times! Rumor has it the mayor has requested support from other cities, so I'm afraid it won't be good news...
DeleteHere Is What We Now Know About Freddie Gray's Death
ReplyDeletehttp://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/freddie-gray-story-death-mosby
What outstanding news! Way past time! We have too many dirty cops across the nation that are nothing more than racist pigs.
ReplyDeleteHave always felt sorry for young men that are of minority races - especially the black folks. They have to stop being treated so horribly as the majority of them are not bad kids or young adults.
Americans (especially politicians and religious folks!) need to play nice and we've not been doing so for eons.
CHANGE would be outstanding! And, just for the record - I'm white and have occupied space on this planet for a good number of years!
Cops are pigs. I've lived my life trying to avoid them. There hasn't been anything in my life that I couldn't take care of myself, including trespassers on my property. I'd rather shoot myself in the foot than call a cop for anything. They are the enemy.
DeleteI gotta' say Anon 2:12 I have never been in ANY situation where a cop made it any better. Not once.
DeleteMe too. Bless you.
DeleteSometimes there are these bright moments of clarity and justice seems possible. I'm very grateful.
ReplyDeleteThere is obviously a big problem that many of us were not aware of, at least to the extent is has developed these last few years. This is a great first step in holding the police accountable for their actions. But when will we get to the real issue as to WHY we have gotten to this place? The FOP - Fraternal Order of Police - the police union is the crux of the problem. Ever notice those little 5-pointed stars they display on/over their personal license plates? They don't display those as if they are proud of their Union. They display those (often covering half of the license number!) to show other officers that they are "one of theirs" so they will not pull them over and issue a well-deserved ticket like all of us would receive. They have been covering for each other for a long time. That is not what a real union does. That is what the Mafia does.
ReplyDeleteJJ
About time.
ReplyDeleteThat incredibly insulting and heinous "leak" to the Post
that this young man had "killed" himself reminded me of
what the South African police used to say after they murdered black citizens and activists in jail.
Get your priorities straight. We all know who the victim is and what matters.
ReplyDeletehttp://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2015/04/radar-online-finally-learns-bristol.html?showComment=1430481324024#c3855205551913947257
It's always interesting to hear from the other side. Here is what Food Stamps Pete has to say:
ReplyDeletePete Petretich Carmtom13 • 27 minutes ago
I just talked with one of my bartenders about this. First, he jumped to conclusions. Then he agreed that both sides will have lawyers and they will have to present real evidence.
He also agreed that the MSM is ignoring the victim's past drug convictions and that CNN just wants ratings in either case...
Wait a minute. Food Stamps Pete the Federal Government who gives handouts to those people while he doesn't work and he receives food stamps. He bragged about using his food stamps to buy candied peanuts, claiming that he needed the energy. What? Now Food Stamps Pete bartenders? Maybe that is how he gets his vitamin C, from the orange slice on his drink glass.
While Pete is checking with his bartenders, he might also want to check with his lawyers. Freddie Grey did not commit a crime. All he did was run away. He was not carrying an illegal knife. Any past convictions have nothing to do with the fact that he was stopped and chased for no good reason. If the police went around chasing people who had served their time, they would have to hire hundreds more cops. They can't do that. Food Stamps Pete is going to need a few more drinks before he can process this case.
This is long overdue!
ReplyDeleteSo long to, "The prisoner died by shooting himself in the back of the head, while resisting arrest."
And now she is officially being threatened.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.facebook.com/TheMarmelPage/photos/a.217259448301136.70251.216484961711918/1138517996175272/?type=1&theater
Wow, what an ignorant proposal for the cops to put on paper.
DeleteI believe it was Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings who said Baltimore could set the example for how to handle this.
ReplyDeleteI live in Baltimore and Mosby said exactly the right stuff at the right time. It gives me hope my city is not going to explode.
I wish her all the best. I can hear the knives being sharpened, now.
ReplyDeleteShe's not going to have it easy. Let's see who the first Rethuglikan is
that goes for her scalp yelling reverse bias, or worse.
I'm betting it'll be Huckachuck, he has no identifiable conscience.
This is happening because anyone who knows anything about the human body knows how much and what kind of force is required to almost severe the spinal cord and crush the vertebrae in the neck. The police can't possibly pretend that Freddie Gray killed himself in the back of their van.
ReplyDeleteThe police also can't point the finger at one of their number and blame him, either- because one person couldn't have brought to bear the differing trauma forces necessary to kill Freddie Gray the way he was killed.
The jig is up with the Baltimore PD. Somebody's going to jail.
Yeah, let's hope Jail is for all of them. They can live among what they really are, criminals!
DeleteI'm somewhat surprised this happened relatively quickly, then I read that Ms Mosby comes from a family of law enforcement and that she's there to uphold the law equally for everyone, those with and without badges. Knowing this, there's no way anyone's escaping the law.
ReplyDeleteA certain ex judge and botox aficionado on Fox News asked the most stupid question to prove race wasn't a factor. "How many officers were African American?" And she went on the old "high yella" schtick saying Mosby "passes" for white and that there's anti black racism in the African American community. THEN she read off the victims previous crimes, as if it amounts to a hill of beans, the guy did nothing wrong and was murdered.
They don't get it. It's about another human being just beaten just breaking his neck. That is criminal in and of itself, all the while being hand cuffed and ankles too!!!
DeleteI for one see no race in this violence.
Gee.
Obama Justice Department Launches $20 Million Police Body Camera Pilot Program
ReplyDeletehttp://www.politicususa.com/2015/05/01/obama-justice-department-launches-20-million-dollar-police-body-camera-pilot-program.html