Prosecutor Mosby (left) and victim of false arrest and homicide, Freddie Gray.
Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby didn't mince words in a news conference this morning, preferring to be open about Freddie Gray's brutal death - rather than conceal it any more. She basically revealed the prosecutor's report that Gray's death was a homicide- committed by the 6 cops who tossed Gray into the police van after his arrest and didn't secure him. She also advised that warrants for the arrest of all the officers involved have been issued.
In her words from her official statement:
"On April 12, 2015 between 8:45 and 9:15 a.m. near the corner of North Avenue and Mount Street, Lt. Brian Rice of the Baltimore Police Department, while on bike patrol with officers Garret Miller and Edward Nero made eye contact with Mr. Freddie Carlos Gray junior. Having made eye contact, Mr. Gray subsequently ran from Lt. Rice. Lt. Rice then dispatched over departmental radio that he was involved in a foot pursuit. At which point bike patrol officers Miller and Nero also began to pursue Mr. Gray. Having come into contact with the pursuing officers Mr. Gray surrendered. to officers Miller and Nero. Officers Miller and Nero then handcuffed Mr. Gray and moved him a few feet away from his surrendering location.
Mr. Gray was then placed in a prone position with his arms handcuffed behind his back. It was at this time Mr. Gray indicated he could not breathe and requested an inhaler to no avail. Officers Miller and Gray then found a knife in Mr. Gray's possession clipped to his pants pocket. The blade of the knife was folded into the handle. The knife was not a switchblade and is lawful under Maryland law.
The knife was placed down on the sidewalk at which point Mr. Gray was placed back down on his stomach and began to flail his legs and scream as officer Miller placed Mr. Gray in a restraining technique known as a leg lace. While officer Nero physically held him down against his will until a BPD wagon arrived to transport Mr. Gray.
Officer Miller, Officer Nero and Lt. Rice loaded Mr. Gray onto the wagon, placing him on his stomach, head first and on to the floor of the wagon. Once again, Mr. Gray was not secured by his seat belt in the wagon - contrary to a Baltimore Police Department (BPD) general order. Lt Rice then directed officer Goodson to transport Mr. Gray to the Central Booking and Intake Facility.
Following transport to Baker Street, Mr. Gray suffered a severe and critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained at the side of the BPD wagon. From Baker Street Officer Goodson proceeded to the vicinity of Mosher Street and Fremont Avenue where he subsequently parked the wagon and proceeded to the back of the wagon in order to observe Mr. Gray.
Despite stopping for the purpose of checking on Mr. Gray's condition at no point did he seek or render any medical assistance for Mr. Gray. Officer Goodson returned to his driver's seat and proceeded toward the Central Booking and Intake Facility with Mr. Gray still unsecured by his seat belt contrary to a BPD general order.
Several blocks later officer Goodson called into Dispatch that he needed to check on the status of his prisoner and requested additional units at Dolphin Street and Drew Hill Avenue. Officer Porter arrived on the scene at Dolphin Street and Drew Hill Avenue. Both officer Goodson and officer Porter proceeded to the back of the wagon to check on the status of Mr. Gray's condition.
Mr. Gray at that time requested help and indicated that he could not breathe. Officer Porter asked if he was in need of a medic and Mr. Gray said at least twice he was in need of a medic. Officer Porter then physically assisted Mr. Gray from the floor of the van to the bench. However, despite Mr. Gray's appeal for a medic but both officers assessed Mr. Gray's condition and at no point did either restrain Mr. Gray per BPD general order. Nor did they render or request medical assistance.
(Reference to another stop to arrest another prisoner at W. North Ave)
Despite Mr. Gray's obvious and recognized need for medical assistance, officer Goodson in a grossly negligent manner, chose to respond to the 1600 block of W. North Avenue with Mr. Gray still unsecured by his seat belt in the wagon without rendering to or summoning medical assistance for Mr. Gray.
Officer Goodson arrived at North Avenue to transport the individual arrested at the location of North Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue at which time he was again met by officer Nero, Miller, Porter and Lt. Rice. Once the wagon arrived, officer Goodson walked to the back of the wagon and again opened the doors to the wagon to make observations. of Mr. Gray. Sgt. Alicia White, officer Porter and officer Goodson observed Mr. Gray unresponsive on the floor of the wagon.
Sgt. White, who was responsible for investigating two citizen complaints pertaining to Mr. Gray's illegal arrest spoke to the back of Mr. Gray's head. When he did not respond she did nothing further despite the fact she was advised that he needed a medic. She made no effort to look, or assess or determine his condition.
Despite Mr. Gray's seriously deteriorating medical condition no medical assistance was rendered or summoned for Mr. Gray at that time by any officer. After completing the North Avenue arrest and loading the additional prisoner into the officer's side of the wagon containing Mr. Gray, officer Goodson then proceeded to the Western District Police Station where contrary to the BPD general order, he again failed to restrain Mr. Gray in the wagon for at least the fifth time.
At the Western District Police Station the defendant arrested at North Avenue was unloaded, escorted and secured at the police station prior to attending to Mr. Gray. By the time Sgt. Zachary Novak, Sgt. White attempted to remove Mr. Gray from the wagon, Mr. Gray was no longer breathing at all. A medic was finally called to the scene where upon arrival the medic determined Mr. Gray was now in cardiac arrest and was critically and severely injured.
Mr. Gray was rushed to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma where he underwent surgery. On April 19, 2015 Mr. Gray succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The manner of death is deemed a homicide by the Maryland State Medical Examiner is believed to have occurred due to a fatal injury while Mr. Gray was unrestrained with his seat belt in the custody of the Baltimore Police Department.
While each of these officers is presumed innocent until proven guilty we have brought the following charges:
- Officer Caesar Goodson - charged with second degree depraved heart murder, involuntary manslaughter, second degree negligent assault, manslaughter by vehicle by means of gross negligence, manslaughter by vehicle by means of criminal negligence. misconduct in office for failure to secure a prisoner, failure to render aid.
- Officer William Porter- charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second degree, misconduct in office
- Lt. Brian Rice is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second degree, misconduct in office, false imprisonment
- Officer Edward Nero: is being charged with intentional assault in the second degree, negligent assault in the second degree, misconduct in office, false imprisonment
- Officer Garret Miller: is being charged with intentional assault in the second degree, negligent assault in the second degree, misconduct in office, false imprisonment.
- Sergeant Alica White- is charged with manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second degree, misconduct in office"
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So there we have it: victim Freddie Gray pounced on by rogue cops in a false arrest (for making eye contact with a cop) - as over 100 W. Baltimore citizens were before leading to over $5.7 m in settlements paid out for damages. Poor Freddie, in this latest incident, throttled, tossed into a police wagon for a "rough ride" and tormented after suffering a severed spinal cord (at the neck) without receiving medical aid - all his pleas for aid ignored five times by these renegades. And dense dopes wonder why the people of West Baltimore exploded in rage!
To her credit Ms. Mosby vowed to the youth of the city: "I will seek justice on your behalf! You're at the forefront of this cause and as young people your time is now!"
Good for you! Now let's make sure the evidence isn't "disappeared" as so often happens in these cases and these cops meet their just desserts!
The Baltimore Police Dept. and Fraternal Order of Police, of course, plan to defend these 6 scum balls and the Neolib media is already questioning Ms. Mosby's authority and independence. All I can say is 'Good luck!'
And btw, whatever Freddie Gray's previous record - drugs, whatever- it hasn't one damned thing to do with what these brazen cops did to him on the streets of W. Baltimore on April 12! That is a total red herring that only a Foxite or lawless nincompoop would raise. The issue was laid out by prosecutor Mosby and all the deflection tactics in the world won't change that!
-See also:
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/frida-berrigan/62058/baltimore-is-burning-not-just-in-flames-but-with-a-righteous-anger
And:
http://www.salon.com/2015/05/01/meet_marilyn_mosby_the_badass_prosecutor_fighting_for_justice_in_baltimore/
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