Freddie Gray is laid to rest on April 27, 2015. (Photo: Getty Images)
Sep 08, 2015
The city of Baltimore plans to pay $6.4 million to the family of Freddie Gray, who was 25 years old when he died after sustaining a severe spinal cord injury in police custody earlier this year.
The Baltimore Sun described the pending settlement, which would resolve any civil claims against the city, as "an extraordinary payment in a lawsuit against city police," noting that it is larger than the total of more than 120 other lawsuits brought against the police department for alleged brutality and misconduct since 2011.
The settlement is not an admission of liability and would not impact the criminal cases currently underway. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement on Tuesday she had proposed the payout in order to avoid "costly and protracted litigation" from the Gray family that she said "would only make it more difficult for our city to heal."
The settlement will be submitted to the Baltimore Board of Estimates for a vote on Wednesday.
Gray, who was black, was arrested after a foot chase in West Baltimore on April 12. He was bundled into a transport van while in handcuffs and shackles, and was not secured with a seatbelt. Gray reportedly asked for medical attention twice during a ride between the site where he was taken into custody and a police booking center.
He died a week later from a spinal injury. His death, ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, quickly became one more symbol of police violence against black people in the United States and sparked angry protests in Baltimore.
All six officers involved in Gray's death, three white and three black, were indicted in May. The trial will begin in October.
The Washington Postreports that "in addition to the financial payout, the settlement would also call for the Baltimore police department to begin requiring its officers to wear body cameras, according to the two people familiar with the agreement."
And A. Dwight Pettit, a Baltimore defense attorney, told the Baltimore Sun that the settlement was a "great move on the part of the city," with implications beyond this one case.
"I've always believed [that] when city started to pay real money. . .that we would see the issue of police brutality and excessive force be remedied and solved very quickly," Pettit said.
But as reactions rolled out on Twitter, some pointed out that no amount of money can compensate for lost lives or decades of injustice.
\u201c@deray No amount of money can buy the justice that the necessary criminal convictions would bring. Money can't buy accountability.\u201d— deray (@deray) 1441723183
\u201cThe people of Baltimore are literally paying for institutional racism. How expensive will that have to get? https://t.co/bFdBEtvCBE\u201d— \u2721\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08Proud Dyke Daughter of Brenda (Howard) \ud83d\udcda \u2696 (@\u2721\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08Proud Dyke Daughter of Brenda (Howard) \ud83d\udcda \u2696) 1441728664
\u201cFreddie Gray: worth $6.4 million in court but priceless in our hearts #BlackLivesMatter\u201d— \u134d\u1245\u122d (fiker) aka Fik Khalifa\ud83c\udf43 (@\u134d\u1245\u122d (fiker) aka Fik Khalifa\ud83c\udf43) 1441726184
Join Us: News for people demanding a better world
Common Dreams is powered by optimists who believe in the power of informed and engaged citizens to ignite and enact change to make the world a better place. We're hundreds of thousands strong, but every single supporter makes the difference. Your contribution supports this bold media model—free, independent, and dedicated to reporting the facts every day. Stand with us in the fight for economic equality, social justice, human rights, and a more sustainable future. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover the issues the corporate media never will. Join with us today! |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
The city of Baltimore plans to pay $6.4 million to the family of Freddie Gray, who was 25 years old when he died after sustaining a severe spinal cord injury in police custody earlier this year.
The Baltimore Sun described the pending settlement, which would resolve any civil claims against the city, as "an extraordinary payment in a lawsuit against city police," noting that it is larger than the total of more than 120 other lawsuits brought against the police department for alleged brutality and misconduct since 2011.
The settlement is not an admission of liability and would not impact the criminal cases currently underway. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement on Tuesday she had proposed the payout in order to avoid "costly and protracted litigation" from the Gray family that she said "would only make it more difficult for our city to heal."
The settlement will be submitted to the Baltimore Board of Estimates for a vote on Wednesday.
Gray, who was black, was arrested after a foot chase in West Baltimore on April 12. He was bundled into a transport van while in handcuffs and shackles, and was not secured with a seatbelt. Gray reportedly asked for medical attention twice during a ride between the site where he was taken into custody and a police booking center.
He died a week later from a spinal injury. His death, ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, quickly became one more symbol of police violence against black people in the United States and sparked angry protests in Baltimore.
All six officers involved in Gray's death, three white and three black, were indicted in May. The trial will begin in October.
The Washington Postreports that "in addition to the financial payout, the settlement would also call for the Baltimore police department to begin requiring its officers to wear body cameras, according to the two people familiar with the agreement."
And A. Dwight Pettit, a Baltimore defense attorney, told the Baltimore Sun that the settlement was a "great move on the part of the city," with implications beyond this one case.
"I've always believed [that] when city started to pay real money. . .that we would see the issue of police brutality and excessive force be remedied and solved very quickly," Pettit said.
But as reactions rolled out on Twitter, some pointed out that no amount of money can compensate for lost lives or decades of injustice.
\u201c@deray No amount of money can buy the justice that the necessary criminal convictions would bring. Money can't buy accountability.\u201d— deray (@deray) 1441723183
\u201cThe people of Baltimore are literally paying for institutional racism. How expensive will that have to get? https://t.co/bFdBEtvCBE\u201d— \u2721\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08Proud Dyke Daughter of Brenda (Howard) \ud83d\udcda \u2696 (@\u2721\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08Proud Dyke Daughter of Brenda (Howard) \ud83d\udcda \u2696) 1441728664
\u201cFreddie Gray: worth $6.4 million in court but priceless in our hearts #BlackLivesMatter\u201d— \u134d\u1245\u122d (fiker) aka Fik Khalifa\ud83c\udf43 (@\u134d\u1245\u122d (fiker) aka Fik Khalifa\ud83c\udf43) 1441726184
Deirdre Fulton
Deirdre Fulton is a former Common Dreams senior editor and staff writer. Previously she worked as an editor and writer for the Portland Phoenix and the Boston Phoenix, where she was honored by the New England Press Association and the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. A Boston University graduate, Deirdre is a co-founder of the Maine-based Lorem Ipsum Theater Collective and the PortFringe theater festival. She writes young adult fiction in her spare time.
The city of Baltimore plans to pay $6.4 million to the family of Freddie Gray, who was 25 years old when he died after sustaining a severe spinal cord injury in police custody earlier this year.
The Baltimore Sun described the pending settlement, which would resolve any civil claims against the city, as "an extraordinary payment in a lawsuit against city police," noting that it is larger than the total of more than 120 other lawsuits brought against the police department for alleged brutality and misconduct since 2011.
The settlement is not an admission of liability and would not impact the criminal cases currently underway. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement on Tuesday she had proposed the payout in order to avoid "costly and protracted litigation" from the Gray family that she said "would only make it more difficult for our city to heal."
The settlement will be submitted to the Baltimore Board of Estimates for a vote on Wednesday.
Gray, who was black, was arrested after a foot chase in West Baltimore on April 12. He was bundled into a transport van while in handcuffs and shackles, and was not secured with a seatbelt. Gray reportedly asked for medical attention twice during a ride between the site where he was taken into custody and a police booking center.
He died a week later from a spinal injury. His death, ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, quickly became one more symbol of police violence against black people in the United States and sparked angry protests in Baltimore.
All six officers involved in Gray's death, three white and three black, were indicted in May. The trial will begin in October.
The Washington Postreports that "in addition to the financial payout, the settlement would also call for the Baltimore police department to begin requiring its officers to wear body cameras, according to the two people familiar with the agreement."
And A. Dwight Pettit, a Baltimore defense attorney, told the Baltimore Sun that the settlement was a "great move on the part of the city," with implications beyond this one case.
"I've always believed [that] when city started to pay real money. . .that we would see the issue of police brutality and excessive force be remedied and solved very quickly," Pettit said.
But as reactions rolled out on Twitter, some pointed out that no amount of money can compensate for lost lives or decades of injustice.
\u201c@deray No amount of money can buy the justice that the necessary criminal convictions would bring. Money can't buy accountability.\u201d— deray (@deray) 1441723183
\u201cThe people of Baltimore are literally paying for institutional racism. How expensive will that have to get? https://t.co/bFdBEtvCBE\u201d— \u2721\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08Proud Dyke Daughter of Brenda (Howard) \ud83d\udcda \u2696 (@\u2721\ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08Proud Dyke Daughter of Brenda (Howard) \ud83d\udcda \u2696) 1441728664
\u201cFreddie Gray: worth $6.4 million in court but priceless in our hearts #BlackLivesMatter\u201d— \u134d\u1245\u122d (fiker) aka Fik Khalifa\ud83c\udf43 (@\u134d\u1245\u122d (fiker) aka Fik Khalifa\ud83c\udf43) 1441726184
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.