SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A DOJ report last year found that the Baltimore Police Department "routinely conducted unlawful stops and used excessive force, disproportionately targeting black residents." (Photo: Arash Azizzada/Flickr/cc)
Justice Department Will Not Charge Officers Over Killing of Freddie Gray
"We know that spines do not break without cause," said the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund in response to the news
Sep 12, 2017
The Department of Justice said on Tuesday that it will not bring federal charges against the six police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray.
APreports:
The officers were charged by [Maryland] state prosecutors after Gray's neck was broken in the back of a police transport wagon in April of 2015. The 25-year-old was handcuffed and shackled at the time, but he was unrestrained by a seat belt.
Three officers were acquitted at trial. Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped the remaining state cases.
The Gray family's attorney, Billy Murphy, says the Justice Department informed him on Tuesday that no charges would be filed.
Five officers face internal disciplinary trials, scheduled to begin Oct. 30.
The investigation into Gray's death has been ongoing since 2015.
A report released by the Justice Department last year in the aftermath of Gray's death found that the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) "routinely conducted unlawful stops and used excessive force, disproportionately targeting black residents."
In a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said: "We know that spines do not break without cause, and the DOJ and BPD's credibility to make change a reality in Baltimore hinges not just on their ability to institute much needed reforms to police training, policies, and practices, but also on their success in bringing to justice officers who abuse their power and take the lives of innocent residents."
"The onus is now on the BPD to hold these officers accountable at their disciplinary trials this fall and winter," Ifill concluded. "Baltimore will be watching."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
The Department of Justice said on Tuesday that it will not bring federal charges against the six police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray.
APreports:
The officers were charged by [Maryland] state prosecutors after Gray's neck was broken in the back of a police transport wagon in April of 2015. The 25-year-old was handcuffed and shackled at the time, but he was unrestrained by a seat belt.
Three officers were acquitted at trial. Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped the remaining state cases.
The Gray family's attorney, Billy Murphy, says the Justice Department informed him on Tuesday that no charges would be filed.
Five officers face internal disciplinary trials, scheduled to begin Oct. 30.
The investigation into Gray's death has been ongoing since 2015.
A report released by the Justice Department last year in the aftermath of Gray's death found that the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) "routinely conducted unlawful stops and used excessive force, disproportionately targeting black residents."
In a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said: "We know that spines do not break without cause, and the DOJ and BPD's credibility to make change a reality in Baltimore hinges not just on their ability to institute much needed reforms to police training, policies, and practices, but also on their success in bringing to justice officers who abuse their power and take the lives of innocent residents."
"The onus is now on the BPD to hold these officers accountable at their disciplinary trials this fall and winter," Ifill concluded. "Baltimore will be watching."
The Department of Justice said on Tuesday that it will not bring federal charges against the six police officers involved in the death of Freddie Gray.
APreports:
The officers were charged by [Maryland] state prosecutors after Gray's neck was broken in the back of a police transport wagon in April of 2015. The 25-year-old was handcuffed and shackled at the time, but he was unrestrained by a seat belt.
Three officers were acquitted at trial. Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped the remaining state cases.
The Gray family's attorney, Billy Murphy, says the Justice Department informed him on Tuesday that no charges would be filed.
Five officers face internal disciplinary trials, scheduled to begin Oct. 30.
The investigation into Gray's death has been ongoing since 2015.
A report released by the Justice Department last year in the aftermath of Gray's death found that the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) "routinely conducted unlawful stops and used excessive force, disproportionately targeting black residents."
In a statement on Tuesday reacting to the news, Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said: "We know that spines do not break without cause, and the DOJ and BPD's credibility to make change a reality in Baltimore hinges not just on their ability to institute much needed reforms to police training, policies, and practices, but also on their success in bringing to justice officers who abuse their power and take the lives of innocent residents."
"The onus is now on the BPD to hold these officers accountable at their disciplinary trials this fall and winter," Ifill concluded. "Baltimore will be watching."
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.