Patterico's Pontifications

5/1/2015

Six Officers Charged In The Death Of Freddie Gray

Filed under: General — Dana @ 5:10 pm



[guest post by Dana]

Six police officers have been charged in the death of Freddie Gray:

Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., 45, who was the driver of a police van that carried Gray through the streets of Baltimore, was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, second-degree assault, two vehicular manslaughter charges and misconduct in office.

Officer William Porter, 25, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault and misconduct in office.

Lt. Brian Rice, 41, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault and misconduct in office.

Sgt. Alicia White, 30, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault and misconduct in office.

Officer Edward Nero, 29, was charged with second-degree assault and misconduct in office.

Officer Garrett Miller, 26, was charged with second-degree assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment.

If convicted of all charges, Goodson would face up to 63 years in prison, Rice would face up to 30 years and Porter, Nero, Miller and White would face up to 20 years.

During her announcement of the charges being levied against the six officers, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby added:

To the people of Baltimore and the demonstrators across America, I heard your call for ‘no justice, no peace.’ Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man, those that are angry or hurt or have their own experience of injustice.

Upon receiving news of the charges against the officers, President Obama stated it is “absolutely vital that the truth comes out”.

Further:

“[I] think the people of Baltimore want more than anything else is the truth,” he said. “That’s what people around the country expect.”

He also called for protests to be peaceful. Baltimore has been relatively calm since riots on Monday.

“I hope that approach to non-violent protest and community engagement continues,” Obama said.

In addition to the president’s reaction, the police union claimed that the officers did nothing wrong and charges brought against six police officers in the death of Freddie Gray are driven by “the publicity in this case” and “politics” :

“we are disappointed in the apparent rush to judgement, given the fact the investigation into this matter has not been concluded. Our officers, like every other American citizen, are entitled to due process. We will continue to support them throughout this judicial process, which we believe will result in a finding of innocence. We also promise all active duty officers that we will continue to work diligently to ensure that you will receive the necessary support from the FOP to enable you to complete your mission safely.” He also argued that “this decision to charge [these] officers is going to make our job even harder.”

Michael Davey, an Attorney with the Fraternal Order of Police stated,

“in my 20 years — career as a law enforcement officer, and 16 years as an attorney, I have never seen such a hurried rush to file criminal charges, which I believe are driven by forces which are separate and apart from the application of law, and the facts of this case as we know them. No one condones police misconduct. This is especially true of the entire FOP membership, including my client, who was a 17-year veteran of this department, who has dedicated his life to serving the public. Let me state in no uncertain terms that Lt. Rice and all of the officers involved at all times acted reasonably, and in accordance with their training as Baltimore police officers. No officer injured Mr. Gray, caused harm to Mr. Gray, and they are truly saddened by his death. These officers did nothing wrong. As all of the facts surrounding this case come out in the appropriate forum, the officers’ lack of wrongdoing will be made abundantly clear. We believe that the actions taken today by the state’s attorney are an egregious rush to judgment, and we have grave concerns about the fairness [and] integrity of the prosecution of our officers. Let me reiterate two things, Lt. Rice and all of the officers are deeply affected by Mr. Gray’s passing, and that his injuries did not occur as a result of any action or inaction on the part of these officers. It is our intention to try this case in the courtroom, and not the media. These statements have been made in an effort to protect all of the officers from undue prejudicial effective publicity surrounding this case. We believe that these officers will be vindicated, as they have done nothing wrong.” Later, he said, “I can’t speculate as to what they did or didn’t do. I just find it very difficult that it’s not a rush to judgement when conducting a case in which someone has been charged with second degree murder they can wrap it up in two weeks.”

And finally, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby is being called on by Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #3 to recuse herself due to a conflict of interest: she has a personal connection to the Gray family’s attorney and she is married to a Baltimore councilman.

The lodge is also requesting a Special Independent Prosecutor be assigned to the case.

–Dana

ADDED: Some reactions to the charges:

@VanJones68
GOT EM!! SIX OFFICERS CHARGED IN #BALTIMORE @cnnbrk #BlackLivesMatter #cut50

@sallykohn
Take a moment to realize that media/national attention wouldn’t be on #Baltimore and #FreddieGray were it NOT for riots. Shame on us.

@JoyAnnReid
Marilyn Mosby just shook up the world. #FreddieGray

@TalibKweli
#FreddieGray death officially ruled a homicide. Meaning police murdered him. Stay awake

134 Responses to “Six Officers Charged In The Death Of Freddie Gray”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (86e864)

  2. Hi.

    Young black men dying at the hand of police is the exception and is exceedingly rare, whereas young black men dying at the hand of their peers, I.e., other young black men is The Rule. But that is seldom discussed.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  3. There’s a 50% truancy rate in Baltimore, 60% of those over 18 aren’t high school graduates. Baltimore is number 2 (just behind NYC) on dollar per student spending on education. Own it DemocRATs!

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  4. I’d be OK with the white cops all resigning and leaving town. Patrick may know better but my understanding is that LAPD has trouble keeping academy graduates in LA. After a few years, they get easy jobs in suburbs and have no trouble shifting out of the city. I’d imagine Baltimore cops with good records would be able to move to suburban departments pretty easily. Not true for Ferguson MO, I imagine, but Baltimore should be an easy place to leave.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  5. I’ve added some reactions to the news of the charges.

    Dana (86e864)

  6. As I understand it, the basic allegation is that Gray was shackled with no seat belt and left to bump and bang against everything with no way to protect himself from bumping and banging because of the shackles, followed by failure to call for medical attention. The version of the charges I saw had a phrase indicating use of reckless disregard of injury and life as a form of homicide is in play here.
    Also apparently the knife Gray possessed was allegedly legal, meaning he should not have been arrested in the first place….hence the false imprisonment charge.

    kishnevi (9c4b9c)

  7. kishnevi,

    Here is a breakdown with maximum sentences. See Officer Goodson.

    Dana (86e864)

  8. Marilyn is very pretty I hope she’s got integrity too

    you just never know with public officials these days

    but let’s be honest how long will this really be on my radar

    happyfeet (831175)

  9. If this is duplication I apologize. But here is the alleged timeline of the arrest.

    http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/baltimore-unrest/freddie-gray-death-prosecutor-marilyn-mosby-lays-out-chain-events-n352096

    elissa (2288f1)

  10. 6. …Also apparently the knife Gray possessed was allegedly legal, meaning he should not have been arrested in the first place….hence the false imprisonment charge.

    kishnevi (9c4b9c) — 5/1/2015 @ 5:30 pm

    There are so many stupid knife laws. In Texas I carry a fixed blade knife, either a neck knife or a boot knife. Because as long as the blade is less than 5″ long and it doesn’t have a double edge, all the other features that could make it illegal would only apply to a folding knife.

    When I visit my folks in Kali I carry a folding knife, as a fixed blade knife would be illegal.

    Anything I could do in either jurisdiction with a knife that’s a crime, and it’s all pretty much the same, is already a crime. So I don’t see why it should matter to anyone anywhere if I have a fixed blade knife on paracord around my kneck or a folding knife in my pocket.

    Steve57 (818fa4)

  11. That talib kweli is too stupid to walk and chew gum at the same time.

    JD (3b5483)

  12. Here are booking shots of some of the policemen. The pics and names seem a little off/confusing. But these are definitely both black and white cops who are being charged.

    http://abcnews.go.com/US/baltimore-states-attorney-happened-freddie-gray/story?id=30732387

    elissa (2288f1)

  13. Thanks @7 Dana
    Depraved heart is the phrase suggesting reckless disregard of human life.

    kishnevi (91d5c6)

  14. Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., 45, who was the driver of a police van that carried Gray through the streets of Baltimore, was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, second-degree assault, two vehicular manslaughter charges and misconduct in office.

    Okay, I’m confused. Four separate crimes charging causing a death, but only a single victim. Don’t they have “lesser included charges”? Talk about stacking charges…

    Roy in Nipomo (e8f8e6)

  15. Elissa, I know several blacks named Ceasar but no whites. Based on which the officer facing the most serious charge is a black man. Is it racism to point that out?

    kishnevi (9c4b9c)

  16. Two blacks, one the only female. I don’t think it’s racist to point it out. It’s just dreadfully sad it even matters on any level.

    Dana (86e864)

  17. Kish–In the picture Ceasar looks pretty black to me. So I don’t think calling him black is racism. But I am no expert. I think the racial uh, diversity of those being charged does substantially change the “narrative” that much of the media has been stoking and alters the image of racist white cops “killing” Freddy that most of America was assuming because of the media.

    elissa (2288f1)

  18. Three blacks and three whites, Dana. Yes the female is black.

    elissa (2288f1)

  19. A prediction: as black miscreants in other cities absorb Baltimore’s example of near non-existent riot control, the events there will spread, with similar economic (e.g., flight of successful, value-added businesses) and demographic (e.g., “white flight”) consequences. Race-baiting clowns like Al Sharpton, Michael Eric Dyson and Marc Lamont Hill (to name but a few) will blame the now-accelerated deterioration in mostly-black neighborhoods on Republicans and “white greed”. The MSM, if they cover this at all, will tell us all the violence is just an understandable response to the deprivation of low-income neighborhoods, racism and misplaced priorities and decry the flight of the saner element with the wherewithal to move to safer areas as “racist.”

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  20. is this like that dress thing

    i see 3 and 3

    happyfeet (831175)

  21. One of the black cops may have a white grandmother, so don’t be surprised if you soon see him described as a “white African-American” ala the “white Hispanic” Zimmerman.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  22. A number of people have been pointing to 48 continuous years of Democratic Party rule in Baltimore, and saying that the current state of things illustrates its miserable failure.

    But I think this isn’t right: Baltimore consistently votes heavily Democratic, recently at around 85%. So from the Party’s point of view, their rule there has been an enormous, shining success. True, there has been a certain cost in the form urban blight, crime, murder, ruined lives, human misery and hopelessness. But ‘you can’t make an omelet without breaking some eggs’, and the goals of the Party are being advanced, so on balance, what’s not to like?

    Geoff Vader (d37238)

  23. The most serious charge was filed against the driver of the police van. And he is black. Wonder what Al Sharpton will say …since he cares not one twit about black on black homicide.. But then, for that matter, neither does Obama. Neither do liberals.

    And how will the media handle the most serious charge being filed against a black police officer. What will Lamont say? What will Charles Blow(hard) say?

    Robert (1c758d)

  24. No, it’s me, Happyfeet ., I was looking on iPhone and it cut off pics. Clearly not the new 6.

    Dana (37f695)

  25. Further info—-Rice (white) is a Lieutenant, White (female black) is a Sergeant. The other four were officers.

    elissa (2288f1)

  26. #22… point taken, Vader! lol

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  27. GOOD! Now it is a happy may day! Don’t forget may 4th 45 anniversary of kent state!

    no justice no peace (86c7f2)

  28. So, I guess the claim is that he was injured while being bounced around with reckless driving without a seat belt?

    I resent the garbage about how Mr. Gray or the people of Baltimore or whoever will get justice…
    when justice is an all or none thing. It is society and all of the people in society that either get justice or they don’t.

    MD in Philly (f9371b)

  29. Unless some outstanding charge or warrant is being withheld from the public, there appears to be no compelling reason why Freddy was arrested, cuffed, shackled, and transported in the hell van.

    elissa (2288f1)

  30. If the cops were really banging Gray around for a little street justice, they need to understand that is unprofessional and outside the ROE with Joe Citizen.
    A professional cop is expected to process difficult persons with integrity throughout the contact and never take it personally.
    My guess though is that none of these officers get more than a slap on the wrist, but none of them will remain in law enforcement being damaged goods.
    The riot that results when the cops win, will be timed to occur after Obama leaves office

    steveg (fed1c9)

  31. Elissa, the actions seen in the video of him being forced to the van, plus his initial flight, would probably be the base of a charge of resisting arrest without force.

    I presume the original arrest was made on the presumption. that he was involved in something illegal, the knife charge being a hook to allow further search and questions. The real problem in this case is how he was treated from the time he was put inside the van.

    BTW I was channeling Daleyrocks in the racism comment. According to leftist theology, Goodson is guilty of racism against blacks. The fact that he himself is black is irrelevant to their theology.

    kishnevi (91d5c6)

  32. city living
    such a riot
    filth and death
    at our expense

    mg (31009b)

  33. The most exasperating aspect of stories like this involving Marilyn Mosby is that too many folks like her (ie, of the left), when encountering and residing in socio-political wastelands like Baltimore, generally have enough sense (despite their ideology) to get the hell out of such places. But when they move to more stable, more reliable communities, they take their politics with them.

    They’re the ones who turn so-called red places into “purple” cities (or suburbs) or purple states, and I resent that. (However, Mosby apparently does call West Baltimore home, so I can’t fault her for talking a good game during the workday and then escaping to some neighborhood far removed from the aforementioned wasteland.)

    allanbwest.com, April 29: The population of Baltimore is 622,000 and 63 percent of its population is black. The mayor, state’s attorney, police chief and city council president are black, as is 48 percent of the police force… As posted on Breitbart.com by John Nolte, “Contrary to the emotional blackmail some leftists are attempting to peddle, Baltimore is not America’s problem or shame. That failed city is solely and completely a Democrat problem.”
    ——
    [John Nolte:] “Like many failed cities, Detroit comes to mind, and every city besieged recently by rioting, Democrats and their union pals have had carte blanche to inflict their ideas and policies on Baltimore since 1967, the last time there was a Republican Mayor. In 2012, after four years of his own failed policies, President Obama won a whopping 87.4% of the Baltimore city vote. Democrats run the city of Baltimore, the unions, the schools, and, yes, the police force. Since 1969, there have only been only been two Republican governors of the State of Maryland. Elijah Cummings has represented Baltimore in the U.S. Congress for more than thirty years.”
    ——
    I was watching the news reports from Baltimore and hearing all the condemnations from some about being kept down and the lack of jobs, opportunity, good schools — then why do these blacks keep voting for the same people? And this isn’t a phenomenon isolated to Baltimore. Every single major urban center in America is run by Democrats — more specifically, liberal progressives, black or white. The morass that became Detroit. The killing fields of Chicago. The depravity of Washington DC. The shame of South Dallas. And yes, even the place that was once my home, Atlanta — even with all the successful black entertainers.

    Now, I remember the first black mayor of Atlanta, Maynard Jackson. That guy was a leader and even spoke at my high school Baccalaureate. But today, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed has done such a bang-up job that the Atlanta Braves are moving to Cobb County!

    [T]he dirty little secret that no one wants to admit is that Baltimore, and so many other urban areas and inner city communities in America are a reflection of the abject failure of liberal progressive socialist policies as advanced by the Democrat party.

    Mark (607f93)

  34. tried to sever my spine..at disneyland..twice
    at space mountain
    cost me a lot of disney dollars
    i smoked a joint on another slower ride
    cost me a lot of disney dollars
    i want to turn myself in

    pdbuttons (944767)

  35. I wonder what Baltimore would look like without police.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  36. Well, this has been an enlightening story for mob rule. I’ve seen it in lesser instances, but 6 officers charged for criminal injury and manslaughter when there is thin evidence that they even caused the injury purposefully takes the cake.

    Dejectedhead (b6399b)

  37. State’s attorney Marilyn Mosby commented when announcing charges:

    To the people of Baltimore and the demonstrators across America, I heard your call for ‘no justice, no peace.’ Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man, those that are angry or hurt or have their own

    Dana (86e864)

  38. Complete quote:

    To the people of Baltimore and the demonstrators across America, I heard your call for ‘no justice, no peace.’ Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man, those that are angry or hurt or have their own experience of injustice.

    Dana (86e864)

  39. It seems an unwise comment to make, as well as one that does not lend itself to impartiality.

    Dana (86e864)

  40. Since when has VJ been impartial. I’ll wager she’s still pulling the strings.

    Gazzer (c1d25a)

  41. I don’t think the Fraternal Order of Police and the nation’s Police Departments are just going to roll over on their backs about this. It’s going to be interesting. Young, inexperienced, ambitious, Marilyn may have bit off more than she can chew.

    elissa (2288f1)

  42. Was this arrest legal? Almost certainly.

    DRJ (e80d46)

  43. marilyn mosby=loretta lynch=eric holder=corrupt=racists

    Jim (84e66d)

  44. Almost certainly.

    In case people don’t click on your link, this portion of that page’s text is very revealing:

    Freddie Gray had an extensive criminal record, and this was well known to police officers in the community… He had at least 18 arrests in the — 8 years between 2007 and his death in 2015 — and it is worth keeping in mind that the only reason his arrest record here begins in only in 2007 is that prior arrests would be sealed as juvenile records.

    It is also notable that although Gray’s early arrests were apparently confined to drug offenses, in later years he began to be charged with acts of violence, including several charges on differing dates of second-degree assault, as well as burglary.

    In addition, the neighborhood where the arrest occurred is known more generally for being a high-crime area, and so the police would be expected to be particularly attuned for indications of criminal conduct.

    Mark (607f93)

  45. That is a very useful link DRJ. Thanks. I like the way Andrew Branca laid out case law for police stops against the known facts of this case. He was also excellent in his analysis and coverage of the Zimmerman trial and I assume he’s licking his chops to get at this one too (if it gets that far.).

    elissa (2288f1)

  46. I just want to recap here. A man with a criminal record was taken into police custody. While in police custody, he received injuries that proved fatal. The police officers in this case have been charged and arrested after warrants have been issued. At some point, a grand jury will be convened to hear evidence in the case presented by the District Attorney. If the grand jury decides that, based on evidence, the accused should be tried in court, they will be face a jury of their peers.

    Have I got something wrong?

    Ag80 (eb6ffa)

  47. We haven’t seen such judicial efficiency since the Salem witch trials.

    AZ Bob (a3c8fe)

  48. So much is going to ride on that other perp who rode in the wagon. Thus far, at a minimum, it appears there was no infamous “rough ride.”

    Given how a huge number of arrestees claim injury and police brutality without any basis, the fact they turned a deaf ear to him is not gonna be enough to convict the cops.

    One thing for which I am most definitely going to get out the popcorn is the fight over venue. We have a reverse OJ here. If they manage to get this moved out of the immediate urban area, the cops will win a hung jury, if not acquittal. To me, venue is the entire outcome. Inner city jury? Convictions.

    Ed from SFV (3400a5)

  49. did anyone pull the GPS & black box on the van? or track it’s location via radio carrier?

    these days, the memory of the on board chip should confirm or deny a wild ride.

    all that telemetry is recorded, as least for a short period

    a movement analysis would also generally establish in what manner the route was traveled by the vehicle, given the known start & finish time, plus route & vehicle information.

    if no one went for any of the data, you know this is a show trial.

    welcome to the purges, comrade.

    redc1c4 (589173)

  50. The spirit of Danton and the committee of public safety, during the French revolution, is STRONG in Mosby.

    mike191 (b4a717)

  51. Didya hear about Fred?
    Well, Freddie’s dead
    That’s what I said
    If ya wannabe a junkie why?
    just think of Fred
    Remember Freddie’s dead

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  52. Mosby seems to be both an acolyte and practitioner of the philosophy of infamous Alcee Hastings who will forever be known for his “all this talk about rules? we make ’em up as we go along.”

    elissa (9fb63c)

  53. His hope was a rope
    His change was some chains
    There’s no love in that town
    But he should’ve known
    Now his chances are blown
    I’m sure all would agree
    That his misery was this
    Blue City thing
    Now Freddie’s dead
    That’s what I said

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  54. Burma Shave…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  55. Interesting comment over at Althouse. His neighbors described Caesar Goodson as a quiet family man. He is going to look good in the trial, will testify in his own defense and the white jurors from the new venue will acquit him in 5 minutes. The trial will be just before the 2016 election and the rioting will resume with his acquittal.

    Holder’s DoJ will indict him for civil rights violation, which probably should’ve been the charge in the first place, and that will be dropped by President Walker’s DoJ.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  56. This link containing an interview with Alan Dershowitz is worth a look. I think he correctly paints the speed of the arrests and these over the top charges and the states’s attorney’s language as a blatant political attempt to get the immediate rioting stopped in Baltimore before the weekend.

    http://weaselzippers.us/222422-alan-dershowitz-baltimore-prosecutor-over-charged-officers-identified-with-protesters-saying-youre-at-forefront-of-this-cause-and-as-young-people-our-time-is-now/

    elissa (9fb63c)

  57. this circus is falling down on its knees the big top is crumbling down
    there’s riots in Baltimore, fifty miles east
    failmerica’s running aground

    i need a sunburn

    happyfeet (831175)

  58. I’ve updated the post with State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s comment which I posted last night at #39. I thought it was an important comment and one that certainly lends credence to the possibility that this was rushed at the least and an effort to assuage the agitators and agitated:

    During her announcement of the charges being levied against the six officers, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby added:

    To the people of Baltimore and the demonstrators across America, I heard your call for ‘no justice, no peace.’ Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man, those that are angry or hurt or have their own experience of injustice.

    Dana (86e864)

  59. Mr. buttons! disneywhirl is where the magic is

    and princesses!

    and you can get a fruit cup

    and there’s dinosaurs

    and you can play light sabers

    and fireworks, Gandalf! The most wonderful fireworks you ever saw!

    happyfeet (831175)

  60. I would not be surprised if the van driver gave Gray “a ride” in its most violent definition. But it would have to be proven.

    I have a problem with charging the others for inaction vs. action. It presumes that their action might have changed the outcome, but that is by no means certain from what I understand the injuries to be.

    Loren (2b53d4)

  61. Regarding potential conflicts of interest for Mosby:

    Mosby’s husband is a councilman in the epicenter of protests, representing West Baltimore’s 7th District. He is being lauded as a hero after getting into a verbal exchange with a Fox News reporter:

    Mosby burst into the national spotlight this week after a tense, on-camera exchange with a Fox News reporter. With unrest at its worst, Fox’s Leland Vittert pressed Mosby: Was it right that looters had robbed and set fire to several stores in the neighborhood? Mosby kept responding that he thought looting was wrong, but that broader, historical realities — like a paucity of investment and counterproductive policies imposed on struggling inner cities just like his — were like kindling. They went back and forth like this for a few minutes until an exasperated Mosby finally had enough. “At this point, this is not productive,” he said. “All you want to do is talk about this” — pointing over his shoulder to the liquor store that had been looted, and walking away from the conversation.

    and,

    The Gray family lawyer, Billy Murphy, was a big campaign donor to Marilyn Mosby last year when she ran for State’s Attorney, donating the maximum individual amount allowed, $4,000, in June. Murphy was also on Mosby’s transition team after the election and has been described as a ‘mentor’ to her.


    Further: Mosby been in the position of prosecutor for four months. She ran on the platform of holding the police accountable and accused her opponent of “being too cozy with officers and too out of touch with the citizens of Baltimore”.

    Dana (86e864)

  62. She ran on the platform of holding the police accountable and accused her opponent of “being too cozy with officers and too out of touch with the citizens of Baltimore”.

    Ditto for the town where the police force (of six) all resigned.

    This will have interesting implications. Thank God I don’t live in Baltimore.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  63. “Justice”: it’s all about the women:

    Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake expressed confidence in Mosby on Thursday, while also welcoming a separate investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, now led by Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

    ‘If, with the nation watching, three black women at three different levels can’t get justice and healing for this community, you tell me where we’re going to get it in our country,’ the mayor said.

    Dana (86e864)

  64. We are returning to the era of Tammany Hall. Civil service has been completely politicized. You don’t like the cops? talk to your mayor and her claque; she hired them.

    Too bad our cities are be
    ing destroyed just so we can relearn history. I have to drive through your ruins at times but I will not stop, or care.

    patricia (5fc097)

  65. if hillary gets to the white house we’ll have four (4) individual pairs of breasts on the case making the justice and the healing!

    that’s a heap-load of justice and a smorgasbord of healing

    dem pups is gonna get a well-deserved break looks like

    happyfeet (831175)

  66. ==‘If, with the nation watching, three black women at three different levels can’t get justice and healing for this community, you tell me where we’re going to get it in our country,’ the mayor said.==

    They need to come up with some kind of cool “wise Latina” type slogan for themselves, I think.

    elissa (9fb63c)

  67. Hmmm…Sage Sistas?

    Dana (86e864)

  68. elissa – Ad nauseam

    mg (31009b)

  69. Andrew Branco throws the BS flag on the “unlawful arrest” charge.

    it’s becoming clearer and clearer that this is all kabuki theater to appease the mob, and if it destroys the lives of 6 people and their families, too bad.

    this isn’t the country i was born in, nor is the one i gave 20 years of my life, and a considerable portion of my health, to defend.

    this will not end well…for any of us.

    redc1c4 (dab236)

  70. if it’s divisive and racial failmerica slurps it up like carnitas tacos on taco tuesday

    provided it has a loaded ebt card anyways

    happyfeet (831175)

  71. but a lot of people are overlooking how hard Marilyn Mosby works to straighten her hair

    and the results are truly fabulous

    happyfeet (831175)

  72. here is the story of Mr. nk

    which, there’s no real story

    all is well

    happyfeet (831175)

  73. happyfeet,

    Springtime is for lovers. I hope nk is enjoying the fullness of the season. Thanks for the update on his whereabouts.

    Dana (86e864)

  74. yes yes np

    happyfeet (831175)

  75. was the martyred St Freddy really just a snitch putting on a show for the street?

    redc1c4 (dab236)

  76. one notes in the LUN, the level of deception to the smallest possible detail,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  77. I posted this in the other thread, but it seems more appropriate here

    From Baltimore FOP Twitter feed
    https://mobile.twitter.com/FOP3

    .THANK YOU for your generous support. We are working to set up a donation point directly on our website. Until then please send to:

    Baltimore City FOP, Lodge #3
    3920 Buena Vista Avenue
    Baltimore, MD 21211

    kishnevi (9c4b9c)

  78. What is the correct spelling of the deceased’s name? Everything calls him “Freddie Gray” but the Statement of Charges calls him “Freddie Carlos Grey, Jr.” Is this a typo?

    Changing topics, I have a feeling the Baltimore authorities will try to cut a deal with the 3 black officers for their testimony against the 3 white officers, who appear to be the ones that arrested Gray/Grey. Right now the most serious charges are against Goodson, the black officer who drove the van, but if the evidence indicates he called for Gray/Grey to be buckled in by the arresting officers but they failed to do it. (I’ve seen reports that his defense may be that securing prisoners is the job of the arresting officers.) I could see the prosecutors agreeing to give immunity to the officers in exchange for their testimony and, if they do that, this may end up being a black vs white trial after all.

    DRJ (e80d46)

  79. Freddie’s dead… that’s what I said.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  80. these failmerican popos, they do not value life the same way we do in our culture

    happyfeet (831175)

  81. On the other hand, as this article suggests, the authorities may focus on the two black officers for not getting medical help for Gray/Grey. If that’s the prosecution’s plan, then it may be the black female Sergeant who gets the immunity offer.

    DRJ (e80d46)

  82. The link in my comment 82 seems to have many incorrect statements. Please read it with a grain of salt.

    DRJ (e80d46)

  83. If Baltimore authorities did that, DRJ, it would certainly speak volumes.

    Dana (86e864)

  84. It all goes back to one man… http://t.co/39RE1vsB8U

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  85. the daily basilisk is rather inadequate with many of these issues

    http://therightscoop.com/fox-news-bombshell-freddie-gray-tested-positive-for-heroin-and-pot-cops-saw-him-dealing-drugs/

    so lets see the actual evidence,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  86. last time i checked, the operator of a vehicle is responsible for the passengers/cargo on board, regardless of who might have loaded it.

    “it’s not my j*b” is not a valid legal defense in this case, AFAIK.

    redc1c4 (6d1848)

  87. If nothing else, the Daily Beast seems unaware that the phenomenon of arrestees trying fake injuries and pain at the hands of police has a long history. But I suspect the six cops had that in mind.

    kishnevi (adea75)

  88. narciso,

    I heard that last night. It seems Gray/Grey had a record for a reason and, if that’s true, it might matter to people who felt the arrest was improper. But Andrew Branca at Legal Insurrection makes a good argument that there was a valid Terry stop and subsequent arrest following flight. If Branca’s analysis is correct, it doesn’t matter if they saw Gray/Grey doing a drug deal.

    DRJ (e80d46)

  89. oh big man got a knife do ya well we gonna take you downtown and sort this out hahaha (evil popo laugh)

    get in the scooby van little boy

    and watch you head

    we ridin’ dirty today!

    we gonna do some social justice on you head old school style

    it’s all in good fun til somebody gets hurt

    when will people learn

    happyfeet (831175)

  90. I’ve seen to many of these rodeos, to trust the official narrative, transmitted on state run media, that’s why one almost has to rely on samizdat sources like the Treehouse, which isn’t perfect, but has a fairly solid track record,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  91. meanwhile, our #SCOAMF spouts his usual dishonest BS on national TV, and gets called on it by the firefighter’s national union.

    let’s face it: Obola is the #FirstThug

    redc1c4 (6d1848)

  92. DRJ (e80d46) — 5/2/2015 @ 2:07 pm

    I believe it’s been mentioned (either at Powerline, or Hotair) that Sgt. Alicia White was there to investigate the civilian complaints filed via phone over Gray’s original stop and detention – that she got in at the tail end of the situation.

    askeptic (efcf22)

  93. Have any of the details of the Coroner’s Report been made available as yet?
    Things like his blood-work?

    askeptic (efcf22)

  94. no, askeptic, it’s verdict first evidence after,

    http://therightscoop.com/baltimore-police-charges-are-not-about-justice-theyre-about-crowd-control-says-alan-derschowitz/

    I think it’s about reinforcing ‘narratives’ but the method is the same.

    narciso (ee1f88)

  95. allegedly, he tested positive for heroin & marijuana.

    redc1c4 (b340a6)

  96. moar background on St Freddy, that you will never see in our MFM.

    it’s a helluva note that foreign news sources are more informative than local ones.

    redc1c4 (b340a6)

  97. caution, the Daily Mail has been more often than not, followers of the narrative in these situations,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  98. the BBC is reporting that princess kate is gonna name the new little royal baby creature “princess freddi-cakes” in honor of our friend freddie gray who perished so needlessly in baltimore recently

    she’s so awesome

    happyfeet (831175)

  99. It will be weeks before facts are revealed, rather than speculation and biased statements that will be forgotten.

    In view of the obvious bias in the demonstrators who are trying already to influence the jury pool, there will have to be a change of venue. I think the case sounds weak so far. The injuries are a puzzle. I’ve seen broken necks from minor injury mechanisms. “Crushed larynx” is quite different and I don’t see how the two are related. He’s already buried. At least they didn’t insist on cremation. The Michael Brown autopsy was controversial because of the fake “pathologist” retained by the family lawyer.

    We’ll see if the Baltimore one is any better.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  100. well, except the original template, is very hard to remove, we saw that with Kasnoff’s doubleunplusgood reaction to the Ferguson screenplay,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  101. The Baltimore DA office is now lying about the witness who was in the van with Freddie Gray. The assistant on the case has a lesbian lover who is a TV reporter and did a fake interview with a guy who said he was the other van passenger.

    The plot thickens. This is really going to be a mess before it gets to a jury. Tampering all over the case.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  102. Just keep in mind it has not gone to grand jury–there have not been any indictments yet–all we have is a placeholder potemkin case to try to keep the lid on for a few days. Even if part of it goes to trial, it could go before a judge and not a jury.

    elissa (c8423f)

  103. actually elissa, it’s the blithe ignorance of procedure all the way through is disconcerting:

    http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/sun-investigates/bs-md-ci-freddie-gray-investigation-20150502-story.html#page=1

    she avoided the grand jury exactly for this reason,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  104. she avoided the grand jury exactly for this reason,

    I wonder what else she will avoid. Maybe she should ask Marcia Clark and Chris Darden for advice.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  105. there are no statements from the officers in this review,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  106. Nobody interested in Ag80’s comment at 47, I see

    Leviticus (bbacb8)

  107. no justice no peace Mr. Leviticus

    that’s how we roll now

    happyfeet (831175)

  108. Why do you say nobody’s interested, Leviticus? I think everybody’s interested in finding out what happened–but are also concerned that a few steps have been skipped along the way in the district attorneys office. What is your opinion?

    elissa (c8423f)

  109. the problem is mrs, Mosby is avoiding that second half of the process,

    narciso (ee1f88)

  110. Marilyn’s hair is fabulous to the power of beyonce

    i remember when that was enough

    happyfeet (831175)

  111. 109. Why do you say nobody’s interested, Leviticus? …

    elissa (c8423f) — 5/2/2015 @ 7:05 pm

    If you are interested, you are nobody.

    Steve57 (818fa4)

  112. Nobody interested in Ag80′s comment at 47, I see

    Leviticus (bbacb8) — 5/2/2015 @ 6:52 pm

    Why don’t you say what you really mean, Leviticus. Because your comment feels a bit manipulative. That there wasn’t a response on the thread does not mean that we are not interested or that it did not provoke further thought.

    Dana (86e864)

  113. Further, there are any number of concerns that are being addressed and discussed in this thread with a lot of insightful information and possibility pertaining to the case. There wasn’t much to ad to Ag80’s comment as it sounded about right to me. But that doesn’t preclude discussion.

    Frankly, it feels like you may be judging commenters for not having expressed sympathy toward Gray and instead more voiced concern about a possible u level playing field for the police. Is this so?

    Dana (86e864)

  114. Eh, using iPad… Sloppy typing on it.

    Dana (86e864)

  115. i added this to my cloud after Mr. sdferr linkered it the other day

    it kinda sticks with you and after a few listens you understand that Baltimore been a long time dying

    not unlike sumner redstone but poor, so desperately poor

    and hookers are involved

    happyfeet (831175)

  116. well, AG80 left out the part where the charges, in general, appear to be politically motivated and filed by someone who likely should have recused themselves, and that some of them, such as “false arrest” are, more than likely, totally unsustainable, which is an indication that the person proffering them is either incompetent, or biased. (link is up thread)

    also left out is that, because of the sensationalist and dishonest reporting, the accused are unlikely to get a fair trial anywhere, as the MFM has poisoned the well far & wide. a jury of their peers would be other police officers who have been in similar situations, which they definitely will not get. (no one gets a jury of their peers: what you get is a jury of people too stupid to get out of jury duty.)

    finally, he left out the obvious similarities in this case to the attempted judicial lynching of George Zimmerman.

    other than that, he pretty much nailed it.

    😉

    redc1c4 (34e91b)

  117. personally, i have NO sympathy for St Freddie: if he hadn’t lived a life of crime, chances are he never would have been in the back of the van to begin with.

    when you play stupid games, you tend to win stupid prizes.

    redc1c4 (589173)

  118. Meanwhile, a New York police officer was shot in the face and critically injured in Queens this evening. He is in surgery but is expected to survive. Following a house to house search the shooter, an ex-con who had served seven years for attempted murder, was arrested.

    http://nypost.com/2015/05/02/nypd-cop-shot-in-the-head-in-queens/

    elissa (c8423f)

  119. I guess that SAFE Act needs to be adjusted to ensure that convicted felons can’t access firearms in NYS.

    askeptic (efcf22)

  120. I reminded myself I had heard something on NPR Marketplace a while back about Baltimore. And it wasn’t pretty. ..
    http://www.marketplace.org/topics/sustainability/water-high-price-cheap/baltimore-sewers-time-bombs-buried-under-streets

    kishnevi (91d5c6)

  121. #120: as if criminals buy their firearms through legal channels…

    redc1c4 (34e91b)

  122. By The Associated Press

    10:30 p.m.

    New York Police Department Commissioner William Bratton said a plainclothes officer shot in the head Saturday is in stable condition and undergoing surgery.

    Bratton said Officer Brian Moore and his partner Erik Jansen were pulling up on Demitrius Blackwell in their unmarked police car to stop and question him because he was acting suspiciously.

    Police have said the officers noticed a dip in his waistband suggestive of concealing a handgun.

    Bratton said the officers exchanged words with Blackwell when the 35-year-old man turned and fired at least two rounds into the car. Bratton said it was clear Moore and Jansen were police.

    The commissioner said Jansen radioed for help and a nearby patrol car rushed Moore to the hospital.

    During a search, Blackwell was arrested 90 minutes later in a nearby house.

    Dana (86e864)

  123. Not to worry about justice prevailing. She is obviously an affirmative action candidate.

    Jim (84e66d)

  124. I guess they were correct in their hunch about that dip in his waistband, Dana!

    elissa (c8423f)

  125. Just put up a new post about the Queens shooting.

    JVW (8278a3)

  126. 122- red, I thought by now you wouldn’t need a ‘sarc tag’.

    askeptic (efcf22)

  127. 128: i’m skeptical on that issue… 😉

    redc1c4 (b340a6)

  128. meanwhile, black sheriff says that the charges are the Duke Lacrosse fiasco and the George Zimmerman attempted lynching all over again.

    redc1c4 (b340a6)

  129. “Present-day blacks are angry about injustices committed not against them, but acts which may (or may not) have been committed against their ancestors.

    Whites and others who aren’t black are expected to feel guilt for acts they did not even commit.

    Inherited anger and/or guilt for acts in which one did not even participate is obviously a logical fallacy, but that doesn’t seem to matter to the race-hustlers and their enablers. Over the last half-century, the nation has spent billions in taxpayer funds on redressing racial grievances and blacks – as a demographic cohort – have been the beneficiaries of a vast menu of privileges and special programs available to no one else. None of this seems to have mattered – race-relations are at an very low ebb, and militant blacks are angrier than ever.”

    – The New Roots « The Thinking Housewife

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  130. So the Feds’ approach to policing the ghetto when the police stand down will be..

    Let it burn?

    DNF (208255)

  131. WOW! 133 posts before this one – and not 1 took issue with Obama’s above statement: Upon receiving news of the charges against the officers, President Obama stated it is “absolutely vital that the truth comes out”.

    Further:

    “[I] think the people of Baltimore want more than anything else is the truth,” he said. “That’s what people around the country expect.”
    ______________________________________________________________________________________

    Obama + truth, simply does not compute. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kg9m1F8B2_c

    Considering the Freddie Gray incident/death, after the comments of Mayor Rawlings-Blake, State’s Attorney Mosby, Obama, Sharpton, Cummings and so many others – it is equally clear – Baltimore + truth, simply does not compute.

    The largest problem America faces is that LYING has become our currency, and the high degree in which we tolerate LYING and LIARS. With and when that is true, every other problem is just a symptom.

    On September 20, 1992 the LA Times ran noted historian and author Richard Reeve’s commentary piece “THE LIE, BIG AND SMALL: 20-th Century American Ethics – How Did We Become So tolerant Of Lying”. In part that piece stated:

    “If the worst is true and the United States is indeed destroying itself economically or ecologically, politically or spiritually, this will be our epitaph: ‘THEY LIED.’ …

    “It’s killing us. How can government of the people survive if the people believe or accept things that are not true, and that they know are not true. Even leaving President Bush and Bill Clinton out of this, lies are personal and public betrayals more certain to overthrow a country than violence; and if there are more of them now at all levels of American life, it means we are in greater trouble that we think.”

    Reeve’s piece written over twenty-three (23) years ago. That is not a short time period. Stop. Ask yourself, whether during that time, if we have become even greater lairs? greater acceptors of lies? Or, have we changed? Improved ourselves and our institutions and now have more regard for the truth?

    Liberty & Truth require constant vigilance. GLZ.

    Gary L. Zerman (c6aa03)


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