Following two weeks week of growing anger over the death of Freddie Gray which led to violent riots in Baltimore, and peaceful protests from New York and Philadelphia all the way to the West Coast, yesterday the state's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby charged six Baltimore officers with Gray's death, leading to their prompt arrest, following by all just as quickly posting bail and being released.
The Baltimore PD released their mugshots, which reveal a rather broad racial mix: three white, two black, and one Hispanic, officer Caesar Goodson, who incidentally as the driver of the police van, is facing the most serious charge of second-degree murder. To repeat, not what one would call a racially homogeneous group.
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As noted previously, here is the breakdown of the charges against the officers:
- Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, second-degree assault, two vehicular manslaughter charges and misconduct in office.
- Officer William Porter, Lt. Brian Rice and Sgt. Alicia White were all charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault and misconduct in office.
- Officer Edward Nero was charged with second-degree assault and misconduct in office, and Officer Garrett Miller was charged with those charges plus false imprisonment.
- Goodson, facing the most serious charges, could potentially be sentenced to as much as 63 years of prison. The others face a max sentence of between 20 and 30 years.
They are scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing in Baltimore City District on May 27, at 1:30 p.m.
Mosby says the officers involved failed to get Gray medical help even though he requested it repeatedly after he was arrested April 12. She called Gray's arrest illegal, saying the switchblade he was carrying in his pants was actually a legal knife.
"I was sickened and heartbroken by the statement of charges we heard today," Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said. She added that there is no place for racism and corruption in the police department, and all of the officers have been suspended.
Gray suffered a severe neck injury inside of the police van and died a week later. The state medical examiner's office said it sent the autopsy report to prosecutors Friday morning. Gray's death was ruled a homicide.
Yet even this case could not avoid the taint of corruption and "political motivation": according to WUSA9 state Attorney Mosby rejected a request from the Baltimore police officers union asking her to appoint a special independent prosecutor because of her ties to attorney Billy Murphy, who is representing Gray's family. Murphy was among Mosby's biggest campaign contributors last year, donating the maximum individual amount allowed, $4,000, in June. Murphy also served on Mosby's transition team after the election.
As The Hill reports further [5], an attorney for one of the six Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray on Friday suggested the case was politically motivated and cautioned against a "rush to judgment."
"I'm not going to get caught up into the politics. That's what's getting us, I believe, here today," said Michael Davey, who is representing one of the officers but spoke for all those charged.
"I believe that the publicity in this case is a driving force to a rush to judgment and causing this prosecution to move so quickly," he added.
Davey said the process of bringing the charges was too swift, criticizing Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
"In my 20-year career as a law enforcement officer and 16 years as an attorney, I have never seen such a rush to file criminal charges which I believe are driven by forces separate and apart from the application of law and the facts of this case as we've heard them," Davey said.
"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," he added. "No officer injured Mr. Gray, caused harm to Mr. Gray, and [they] are truly saddened by his death. These officers did nothing wrong."
Gray, a 25-year-old black man, suffered a fatal spinal injury while in police custody, and later died.
Mosby's office alleges that Gray was fatally injured when officers restrained him — using shackles and cuffs — in a police van without strapping him in with a seat belt. Six officers have been charged on a range of counts, the highest being a second-degree murder count for the driver of the van.
Davey reiterated the union's support for appointing a special prosecutor in the case. Mosby rejected those calls on Friday morning, saying that a special prosecutor would not be accountable to voters.
Gene Ryan, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Baltimore City Lodge 3, was asked about reports that there is low morale among Baltimore police officers.
"I can tell you they're not happy," he said. "This decision to charge the officers is going to make our job even harder."
The Gray case has brought longstanding concerns about how police in Baltimore treat minority communities to national attention. In New York, the NYPD turned their back on mayor de Blasio following the shooting death of two cops in December: it remains to be seen in the Baltimore police force follows in New York's footsteps and decides to "tone back" enforcement efforts for the next several weeks or months.