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Thread: Baltimore Burns

  1. #1
    Moderator mostlyclassics's Avatar
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    Baltimore Burns

    Wow! And I thought the handling of Ferguson, Mo., was bungled by their civil authorities.

  2. #2
    Senior Member Member George's Avatar
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    Baltimore police face murder charges over death of Freddie Gray

    Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby said warrants have been issued for the arrest of the Baltimore Police Department officers over the death of Freddie Gray, which sparked days of protests and rioting in the East Coast port city.

    "The findings of our comprehensive, thorough and independent investigation, coupled with the medical examiner's determination that Mr Gray's death was a homicide, which we received today, has led us to believe that we have probable cause to file criminal charges," Ms Mosby told a press conference.

    State Attorney Marilyn Mosby, a black woman who is the daughter and granddaughter of police officers, took over the investigation to determine what exactly happened to Mr Gray and whether any of the six officers involved in his arrest should face criminal charges.

    Ms Mosby said her office has been conducting its own independent probe.

    The US Justice Department is also investigating the case.

    Mr Gray suffered spinal injuries some time between his arrest on 12 April and his arrival at a police station.

    Police have said he was not restrained during the ride, a violation of department policies. He died a week later.

    Despite the protests, many questions about Mr Gray's death remain unanswered.

    Media reports on Thursday provided possible accounts of what may have happened.

    Multiple law enforcement sources told local broadcaster WJLA that the medical examiner found Mr Gray's neck appeared to have broken when his head slammed into the back of the van.

    He also suffered a head wound matching a bolt jutting from the vehicle's back door, the sources told the station.

    The Washington Post cited a prisoner, who rode in the police van with Gray but could not see him, as saying he heard sounds that suggested Gray tried to hurt himself while riding in the vehicle, according to a document written by a police investigator.

    Roughly 270 people have been arrested since Monday's violence, and officials have since imposed a citywide 10pm curfew.

    Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said on Wednesday more than 100 people had been released without being charged, because officials could not keep up with the paperwork, though he said charges would be brought later.

    http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0501/697...more-maryland/

  3. #3
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    Baltimore Police Officer Edward Nero found not guilty of all charges

    Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams on Monday acquitted Officer Edward Nero of all counts for his role in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray.

    The judgment, following a five-day bench trial, is the first in the closely-watched case. Nero, 30, faced four misdemeanor charges of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office.

    Prosecutors had argued that Nero committed an assault by detaining Gray without justification, while the reckless endangerment charge related to Nero's role in putting Gray into an arrest wagon without buckling a seat belt. In closing arguments Thursday, Williams had skeptically questioned prosecutors about their theory of assault, which legal experts said was unprecedented.

    Nero leaned forward after the verdict was read, and wiped his eyes. He hugged his attorneys.

    Billy Murphy, the attorney for the Gray family, commended Williams for not bowing to public pressure.

    Williams "stood tall and did what he believed was just" while "very careful" to make clear findings specific to Nero case," Murphy said. "He had a job to do and he did it."

    Nero was the second of six city police officers charged in the case to stand trial. The first trial, of Officer William Porter, ended in a hung jury and mistrial last December.

    Nero, a former New Jersey volunteer firefighter who joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2012, is one of three officers who were on bike patrol when they chased and arrested Gray in West Baltimore.

    Gray, 25, suffered severe spinal cord injuries while in the back of a Baltimore police van, prosecutors say. He died a week later, touching off citywide protests. On the day of his funeral on April 27, rioting, looting and arson broke out, leading the mayor to institute a weeklong nightly curfew and the governor to call in the National Guard.

    Nero's trial lasted six days, with the prosecution calling 14 witnesses and the defense calling seven before closing statements last Thursday.

    Nero's attorneys had sought to minimize his role in the arrest, saying that he had limited contact with Gray. They also argued that Nero followed his training.

    Following the verdict, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake called for "citizens to be patient."

    "This is our American system of justice and police officers must be afforded the same justice system as every other citizen in this city, state, and country," Rawlings-Blake said in a statement. "Now that the criminal case has come to an end, Officer Nero will face an administrative review by the Police Department. We once again ask the citizens to be patient and to allow the entire process to come to a conclusion."

    She noted the city is "prepared to respond" to any disturbance in the city. "We will protect our neighborhoods, our businesses and the people of our city," she said.

    T.J. Smith, the police department's chief spokesman, said Nero will remain working in an administrative capacity while the police department's internal investigation continues.

    "The internal investigation is being handled by other police departments. The internal investigation will not be completed until all of the criminal cases against the other five officers are completed because they will likely be witnesses in each case," Smith said in a statement.

    State Sen. Catherine E. Pugh, the winner of last month's Democratic primary for mayor, said she's been in touch with activists and believes the public understands the lengthy nature of criminal proceedings against multiple officers charged in Gray's arrest and death.

    "We ask the people of Baltimore to let justice take its course," Pugh said. "We trust our State's Attorney's Office is doing its best job. We ask the citizens of Baltimore to remain calm as we continue to move forward to justice for everybody."

    She said she believes the city has improved policing since Gray's death last year from injuries sustained in police custody.

    "We've learned a lot of lessons," she said. "We've learned how we reform some police practices."

    DeRay McKesson, a Black Lives Matter activist who unsuccessfully ran for mayor this year, said "the Nero verdict is a reminder that we must continue to push for policies and laws related to the police department that explicitly call for the preservation of life and that have clear lines of accountability.

    "I am reminded that this is one of six trials as we seek accountability for the death of Freddie Gray," McKesson added.

    The next trial in the case will be that of Officer Caesar Goodson Jr, the driver of the van used to transport Gray. His trial is scheduled to begin June 6. His trial is to be followed by those of Lt. Brian Rice (July 5), Officer Garrett Miller (July 27), Officer William Porter (Sept. 6) and Sgt. Alicia White (Oct. 13).

    http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/fre...z&ocid=UE07DHP
    "There is a point in the history of a society when it becomes so pathologically soft and tender that among other things it sides even with those who harm it, criminals, and does this quite seriously and honestly. Punishing somehow seems unfair to it, and it is certain that imagining ‘punishment’ and ‘being supposed to punish’ hurts it, arouses fear in it." Friedrich Nietzsche

  4. #4
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    June 23, 2016

    Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. not guilty on all charges

    Baltimore judge acquitted the police officer facing the most serious charges in the death of Freddie Gray on Thursday, delivering a broad rebuke of a case that he said lacked evidence.

    Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., 46, drove the transport van in which Gray sustained fatal injuries. He is the second officer cleared in the high-profile case. Four other officers could still face trial.

    After an eight-day bench trial, Circuit Judge Barry Williams found Goodson not guilty on charges that included second-degree depraved-heart murder and three counts of manslaughter.

    The acquittal cast doubt on the remaining criminal cases in which the other officers face similar but lesser charges. Legal observers said Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who drew widespread praise and also condemnation after charging the officers in May 2015, must now re-evaluate the remaining cases.

    Prosecutors alleged Goodson deliberately threw the shackled but unrestrained Gray around the back of the van by giving him a "rough ride." Williams said the state lacked evidence and was asking him to make assumptions.

    "As the trier of fact, the court can't simply let things speak for themselves," Williams said.

    After the verdict, Goodson's attorneys patted him on the back, and a group of about 10 family members, including Goodson's father, hugged and wiped away tears. One man grabbed and kissed the top of Goodson's head and then raised his palms to the ceiling

    http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/mar...623-story.html
    "There is a point in the history of a society when it becomes so pathologically soft and tender that among other things it sides even with those who harm it, criminals, and does this quite seriously and honestly. Punishing somehow seems unfair to it, and it is certain that imagining ‘punishment’ and ‘being supposed to punish’ hurts it, arouses fear in it." Friedrich Nietzsche

  5. #5
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    Highest Ranking Officer Not Guilty

    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams has rules that Lt. Brian Rice, the fourth Baltimore officer facing charges in connection to the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, is not guilty of involuntary manslaughter and reckless endangerment.

    Gray died on April 19, 2015, a week after he suffered a spinal injury sometime during the van ride. His death prompted riots last year in Baltimore.

    Rice, who is the highest ranking officer charged in Gray’s death, also faced a misconduct in office charge. No word yet on the verdict for that charge.

    Early on in Rice’s trial, Judge Williams dropped two charges: an assault charge and one count of misconduct in office.

    Williams’ verdict may hinge on a simple question: Should the officer have put a seat belt on Freddie Gray?

    During closing arguments last week, Judge Williams asked prosecutors if they believed it was a crime not to put a seat belt on Gray.

    “So, failure to restrain equals criminal act?” the judge asked.

    Michael Schatzow, chief deputy state’s attorney, replied that it was, because to leave Gray face down on the floor of the van in handcuffs and leg shackles amounted to Rice not taking reasonable action to ensure his safety.

    http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2016/0...-in-gray-case/
    "There is a point in the history of a society when it becomes so pathologically soft and tender that among other things it sides even with those who harm it, criminals, and does this quite seriously and honestly. Punishing somehow seems unfair to it, and it is certain that imagining ‘punishment’ and ‘being supposed to punish’ hurts it, arouses fear in it." Friedrich Nietzsche

  6. #6
    Senior Member CnCP Legend Mike's Avatar
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    Freddie Gray case: Charges against three remaining officers dropped

    Charges against the remaining three Baltimore Police Officers in the Freddie Gray case were dropped Wednesday morning.

    The decision was announced at the start of a pretrial motions hearing for Officer Garrett Miller, who was the next scheduled officer to stand trial. Officer William Porter was to be retried in September, and Sgt. Alicia White was scheduled for trial in October

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/n...727-story.html
    "There is a point in the history of a society when it becomes so pathologically soft and tender that among other things it sides even with those who harm it, criminals, and does this quite seriously and honestly. Punishing somehow seems unfair to it, and it is certain that imagining ‘punishment’ and ‘being supposed to punish’ hurts it, arouses fear in it." Friedrich Nietzsche

  7. #7
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    July 25, 2016

    "Space to Destroy" Mayor Opens Democratic National Convention

    By Kent Scheidegger

    Wow. You can't make this stuff up.

    The DNC chair got the ax when hacked emails definitively proved what just about everyone paying attention pretty much knew -- that she was using the party apparatus to favor one primary candidate over the other. We didn't think it warranted mention on this blog.

    But who is the substitute convention opener? It is none other than the notorious Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, the one who said as her city was burning:

    It's a very delicate balancing act because while we try to make sure that they were protected from the cars and the other things that were going on, we also gave those who wished to destroy space to do that as well, and we work very hard to keep that balance and to put ourselves in the best position to de-escalate.

    She quickly blamed others for supposedly mischaracterizing her words, saying she did not mean what she plainly said.

    One foolish statement would not have been so bad if she had followed up by doing everything right after that, but the City of Baltimore has not. Closer to the opposite, and it has the crime to prove it.

    If the Democratic Party wanted to make this election all about who is on the criminals' side and who is on the law-abiding people's side, with themselves being the wrong side, it could hardly have chosen a more effective face to put forward to open its convention.

    And just to be very, very clear, there is no balance to be struck with free speech when a full-blown riot is in progress. Government can constitutionally put "time, place, and manner" limits on speech to serve important interests, and peaceful protests can be postponed until peace is restored.

    http://www.crimeandconsequences.com/...r-opens-d.html

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