Six Officers Charged in Death of Freddie Gray; Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby Vows to Seek Justice
In a move being described as both swift and unusually surprising, Baltimore's newly elected State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced Friday that the death of Freddie Gray, who died on April 19 after being injured while in police custody, had been ruled a "homicide" and six police officers involved in his "unlawful arrest" had been criminally charged and warrants have been issued for their arrests.
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, according to The Baltimore Sun.
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.
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Officer Garrett Miller, 26, was also charged with second-degree assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment.
"I take this oath seriously and I want the public to know that my administration is committed to creating a fair and equitable justice system for all. No matter what your occupation, your age, your race, your color or your creed. It is my job to examine and investigate the evidence of each case and apply those facts to the elements of a crime in order to make a determination as to whether individuals should be prosecuted," said Mosby of her role prior to announcing the charges.
"This is a tremendous responsibility but one that I sought and accepted when the citizens of Baltimore City elected me as state's attorney. And it's precisely what I did in the case of Freddie Gray," she said.
Gray died a week after sustaining a spinal cord injury while in police custody stemming from an incident on the morning of April 12. Police officers on bicycles reportedly chased and restrained him at the Gilmor Homes. Cellphone video of Gray's arrest shows him being dragged into a police van, seemingly limp and screaming in pain. In one copy posted on YouTube, a woman can be heard pleading with police officers saying his limp leg looked broken. He slipped into a coma and died after he was finally given medical attention.
Mosby gave a more detailed account of what happened, highlighting repeated mistreatment noted that he was abused without cause by the officers who violated police procedure when they placed him in handcuffs and leg restraints in the police van without putting him in a seatbelt.
The officers also repeatedly ignored Gray's request for medical attention and said by the time he was removed from the van, "Mr. Gray was no longer breathing."
"We have probable cause to file criminal charges," she continued.
Mosby said her team worked around the clock, 12 and 14 hour days, to put the case together and noted in her announcement that she told Gray's family that "no one is above the law."
LISTEN TO THE FULL ANNOUNCEMENT AND CHARGES BELOW:
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