“BALTIMORE — Baltimore’s chief prosecutor charged six police officers on Friday with crimes including murder and manslaughter in the arrest and fatal injury of Freddie Gray, a striking and surprisingly swift turn in a case that has drawn national attention to police conduct.
The state’s attorney for Baltimore, Marilyn J. Mosby, filed the charges almost as soon as she received a medical examiner’s report Friday that ruled Mr. Gray’s death
Marilyn Mosby, Baltimore state’s attorney, pauses while speaking during a media availability, Friday, May 1, 2015 in Baltimore. Mosby announced criminal charges against all six officers suspended after Freddie Gray suffered a fatal spinal injury while in police custody. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
a homicide, and a day after the police concluded their initial investigation and handed her their findings. Officials had cautioned that it could take considerable time for her office to complete its own investigation and decide whether to prosecute.”
To the chagrin of many Americans following this case, Ms. Mosby made a public declaration that sounded an awful lot like a congratulations to the protesters and rioters when she said this, “No justice, no peace, we heard you!”
Well, yippee for them, mob violence works. Yesterday’s lying, stealing, low-life thugs are today’s hero’s. Only in America my friends, only in America.
The quick decision to prosecute had all the earmarking’s of a decision made long before the case was ever submitted to Ms. Mosby. If not, she certainly wasted no time reviewing the hundreds of pages in the investigation report, that is if she did review it. But, maybe a review wasn’t necessary? Because come Hell or High Water somebody has to go on trial. Win or lose, guilty or innocent, this is the only way to keep the mob at bay. And the next most important thing here is, thousands of people got a chance to steal all kinds of stuff before their alleged motive was taken away from them by an indictment. But, it’s all good, “no justice -no peace” worked. This is the brave new way and soon we will have strict reforms imposed on all these killer cops across America.
But, wait, uh, I guess we have to put on some kind of trial for the 6 guilty guys, right? Sooooo… what happens if the verdict doesn’t match the mob’s expectations?
Oh, and just one more thought and please let me make this real clear. Bad cops do exist! Bad cops need to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. But, the way this just went down in Baltimore was completely wrong on every level imaginable. At the core of it were stupid people doing really stupid things, from the cops that started it, to the mayor that mishandled it, to the rioters that blackened it, to the media that exacerbated it…to the president and all the race baiters that exploited it. It was stupidity run amuck X10! It was one stupid, stupid, blunder after another with fools on parade and I fear America is a worse country for it.
Maybe Baltimore is not quite ready for a lynching —
A Fraternal Order of Police lodge is asking Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby to appoint a special prosecutor to the Freddie Gray investigation because of her personal connection to the Gray family’s attorney, William H. “Billy” Murphy Jr., and her marriage to a city councilman.
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-riots/bs-md-fop-letter-20150501-story.html
Charging is one thing – convictions are another. And, since the prosecutor is known for her bias yet she did not recuse herself, the first filing by any competent defense attorney will be for a change of venue.
This comment requires a certain amount of Post Scripts reader participation …
Listen to this —
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65xTnnfD0HE
And sing this —
Obo was a man who thought he was a leader
But he knew it wouldn’t last.
Obo left his home in Kogelo Kenya
To smoke some Hawaiian grass.
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back Obo
Go home
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, get back
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back O!
Sweet Michelle Obama thought she was a first woman
But she’s just another left wing clown
All the girls around her say she’s got it coming
But she gets it while she can
Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged
Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged.
Get back Michelle O
Go home
Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged
Ohhhh
Get back Michelle, your mama’s waiting for you
Wearing her high heeled shoes, and her hammer and sickle sweater
Get back, get back.
Get back to where you once belonged …
The above readers participation post was inspired by this —
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-30/obama-says-he-might-go-back-to-community-organizing
The division between what we could be and what we are becoming as a society widens.
This I believe is how Obamas legacy will play out and the potential of the downfall of America.
Since the Baltimore pd has a majority of minorities on its force does anyone know the ethnic makeup of the six officers charged? I’ve looked but can’t find it. I do wonder how the narrative will change if it turns out all or most of them are black.
Can you clarify the meaning of the title? Are you saying that Gray was the victim of a lynching, or are you comparing the treatment of the policemen who are being charged with murder/manslaughter with lynching?
If the latter, can you see why some might see that comparison as inappropriate, and argue that it co-opts the struggles of African-Americans who were killed by mobs to make it look like the policemen charged with killing an unarmed black man are the real victims of systemic racism?
Chris, what I was trying to say in my title and in the article is nobody wins in a rush to judgment. The DA can’t be fair if they are allowing a mob to dictate to them. They must not be prodded into action by mob. They must not buy into any form of bias, justice must be blind or it will not be served.
Acquiescing to a mob as the DA’s office has done goes against our founding principles. This prosecutor was on stage and playing to the mob, saying exactly what they wanted to hear.
Has it been that long ago that we’ve forgot all about the district attorney who couldn’t wait to build a case of rape against members of the Duke Lacrosse team? The case fell apart because the kids were 100% innocent and he (DA) was disbarred. But, in the process the black rent-a-mob and their liberal supporters had these [white] kids branded guilty of rape, absolutely 100% guilty. Sure didn’t turn out that way.
There is no reason to celebrate this quick indictment because there still must be a trial. Anything short of guilty verdict on all charges will have the mob back looting and burning. They want what they want and evidence, due process, truth, fairness…well, that’s not a priority here.
Pie at #3: I can’t wait to hear how literally telling our American-born president to go back to Kenya isn’t in any way racist. The level of self delusion must be spectacular.
Can Chris clarify the meaning when he expressed he would burn the feet of the first black POTUS if he were to transgress his political sensibilities?
I think Ms. Mosby made it pretty clear when she declared, “No justice, no peace, we heard you!”
She is kneeling to the mob. She is validating the mob. She is bowing to the rioters, arsonists, and looters.
I can only hope justice and peace will follow, which is what I expect would follow.
Mosby has several police officers in her immediate family; are people seriously arguing that she is anti-cop?
Chris #7: It is interesting to me that you refer to Freddie Gray as an “unarmed black man”; not an “unarmed man” but an “unarmed black man”. You then refer to him as a one of the “victims of systemic racism”.
I realize that, until recently, the main-stream press covered up the fact that 3 of the 6 officers charged are black. But I would expect someone such as yourself; a person that really follows all news outlets would have known this (as I did) for quite some time. So why are you still talking about racism in this case. I understand why the community organizers in Baltimore (and the White House) need for it to be racism. It has to fit their agenda. I understand why the main-stream media is calling it racism; they are also part of the agenda. I understand why the black looters and rioters are calling it racism; it gives them an excuse to steal and destroy, that’s their agenda. But what about you? Why?
There are 6 officers involved; 3 white, 3 black. Would they be calling it racism if Mr. Gray was white? I doubt it. So why is it racism when he is black? Again, 6 officers, 3 white, 3 black in a department that is 2/3 black, in a city that is run by black politicians, with charges brought by a black district attorney. Racism? How is it?
“There are 6 officers involved; 3 white, 3 black. Would they be calling it racism if Mr. Gray was white?”
If Mr. Gray was white there would be no rioting that’s much is a given. As to officers being charged…if they were guilty of something I would suspect they would be.
Pie: “Can Chris clarify the meaning when he expressed he would burn the feet of the first black POTUS if he were to transgress his political sensibilities?”
Certainly.
First of all, the conversation was not about “political sensibilities,” it was about baseless accusations of a cover-up over Benghazi. My exact words were, “Let me know if you find anything real. If you can show me actual evidence of a cover-up, I’ll be the first to hold Obama’s feet to the fire.”
http://www.norcalblogs.com/postscripts/2014/04/29/newly-released-email-ties-white-house-benghazi-talking-points/#sthash.D8az4TAc.dpuf
“Holding their feet to the fire” is of course a very common phrase in the English language, meaning to hold someone accountable for wrongdoing. Jack has also used this phrase:
“Holding our elected officials’ feet to the fire has already begun with folks expressing anger over the massive bipartisan spending bill just passed.”
http://www.norcalblogs.com/postscripts/2014/12/15/wyomings-john-barrasso-republican-goals-senate-2015/
I’ve never heard of this phrase having any racist connotations or origins, though I could be wrong. If so, I apologize to anyone who was legitimately offended. But not to you, since you don’t actually care about racist language, only about point-scoring in the juvenile dick-measuring contest you’ve made me an unwilling participant in.
Of course, you knew exactly what I meant when I said that I would hold Obama’s feet to the fire, but because you are a dishonest coward with no moral code and all the wit of an envelope, you chose to pretend that there was a racist meaning and to repeatedly call me the disgusting term of “negro burner,” perhaps the nadir of your long career of using ad hom attacks in place of rational arguments. A career that will undoubtedly continue, since no one but me bothers to call you on it.
More Common Sense: “Chris #7: It is interesting to me that you refer to Freddie Gray as an “unarmed black man”; not an “unarmed man” but an “unarmed black man”.”
When this many unarmed men killed by police happen to be black, I think that makes the race of the victim relevant to the overall pattern. Especially given the historical relationship between blacks and police in this country.
“You then refer to him as a one of the “victims of systemic racism”.”
No, I did not.
This is what I said:
“If the latter, can you see why some might see that comparison as inappropriate, and argue that it co-opts the struggles of African-Americans who were killed by mobs to make it look like the policemen charged with killing an unarmed black man are the real victims of systemic racism?”
Read carefully. What I said was that by comparing the treatment of the officers to a lynching casts them as the real victims of systemic racism. I’m not saying that Gray was a victim of systemic racism, though I’m certainly not ruling out that possibility.
“I realize that, until recently, the main-stream press covered up the fact that 3 of the 6 officers charged are black. But I would expect someone such as yourself; a person that really follows all news outlets would have known this (as I did) for quite some time. So why are you still talking about racism in this case.”
You seem to be operating under the assumption that black cops can’t possibly participate in systemic racism. This seems deeply naive, and makes me wonder if you know what “systemic” means. Individual attitudes toward black people are not the issue here.
“I understand why the community organizers in Baltimore (and the White House) need for it to be racism…But what about you? Why?”
Again, I have not called this event an act racism. Jack is the one who invoked lynching–a historically racist practice–apparently in defense of these officers. I said that was inappropriate, as it co-opts the struggles of the African-American community, which has faced actual lynching, not “Ooh this game of playing persecuted white guys so we can have the moral highground is so fun” lynching, which seems to be the only way the right knows how to use the term these days.
“There are 6 officers involved; 3 white, 3 black. Would they be calling it racism if Mr. Gray was white? I doubt it.”
Of course not, since whites have no history of being mistreated by the police because of their race. You can’t just pretend away social context like this.
Jack: “Chris, what I was trying to say in my title and in the article is nobody wins in a rush to judgment.”
What “rush?” The whole reason for the protests was that the officers weren’t charged right away.
“The DA can’t be fair if they are allowing a mob to dictate to them. They must not be prodded into action by mob. They must not buy into any form of bias, justice must be blind or it will not be served.”
I agree with this, but the problem is that they should have arrested the officers immediately. This is what happens if literally anyone else is suspected of allowing someone to die under suspicious circumstances. But police get special privileges. I think the rioters are complete a-holes, and I don’t think most of them really care about justice, only about finding an excuse to mess sh** up. And I agree that some of the statements from the mayor and others are way too concillatory to the mob. But at the same time, I don’t think things would have gotten this bad if this case had been handled properly from the beginning.
“There is no reason to celebrate this quick indictment because there still must be a trial.”
The indictment is reason to celebrate because there aren’t always indictments, even when there should be.
Finally, I stand by my belief that comparing the prosecution of these officers to a lynching is wildly offensive. The officers were not killed without trial or due process. Freddy Gray was. Now whether the officers were at fault for this is an open question. I am open to hearing both sides and assuming them innocent until proven guilty; I don’t want to be wrong like I was with Officer Wilson. And I admit that many leftists have jumped to conclusions here and are making the same mistakes they made in the Wilson case. I’m trying to learn from that experience. I think leftists have a lot of work to do. But I also think conservatives have a lot of work to do in rebuilding their relationship with the black community. And making comparisons to lynching because officers got arrested–not killed, not beaten in the streets, but arrested–is not going to help that cause one bit.
Chris, I would be standing right next you yelling racism if that statistics even hinted at a case of racism that is killing unarmed black males. It does not. That is purely a fiction that is kept alive by massive amounts of false claims and the extremely rare case of actual police misconduct. This is another case of perception creating false reality.
I would think a person of your character would be demanding to see the evidence before backing the story of racists cops killing black males almost weekly for no reason.
You seem to think that when someone makes an accusation against cops they ought to be arrested immediately. I said there appeared to be a rush to judgment here and you said, “What “rush?” The whole reason for the protests was that the officers weren’t charged right away.” That’s the mob’s problem, not mine and not yours. If we yield to mob pressure rather than follow process, we are selling society short and worse I doubt we would have nobody willing to be a cop.
Cops are allowed due process and by virtue of what they do for society, and society better be damned sure they have a good case before they go slapping the cuffs on a cop and charging him with a crime. When that happens, it’s a career ender and it affects the moral of the whole department.
CHRIS SAID: “Of course not, since whites have no history of being mistreated by the police because of their race. You can’t just pretend away social context like this.”
And what exactly is the history of blacks being mistreated by white cops? Seriously, what are we talking about? The history of 1990’s, 1980’s, 1970’s, what is it? Are you going to jump back 50 years to Selma, Alabama and point to a very small number cops and claim they represent the law enforcement community of the entire freaking United States of America, both then and now? That won’t fly here Chris, we know too much truth. But, I realized truth won’t stop the black militants and all those foolish liberals from trying to sell the lies. “Hands up! Don’t Shoot!” is example of a racist lie that won’t go away, like a lot of other racist lies and as these lies pile up people will say, gee it must be true look at all these people saying it!
Today, a lot of liberals and blacks are thinking just like you, that we have a big problem with cops shooting/killing blacks. However, they’re mixing up history and perceptions to fit their narrative. They’re using things that happened in a pre-1865 America with slavery, things that happened in the deep South over civil rights cases they mix this into every incident of black death with cops involved. Doesn’t matter if it was justified or not. What matters is creating a perception. As long as it involves a cop shooting incident of black male it’s worthy of screaming racism! Justice suffers. Truth suffers. It’s bad for America and the racial divide keeps growing….and bad things happen. Too many times its blacks taking revenge on whites following these false narratives of racism.
There is no way truth and justice can come out on top in this kind slandering. And right now the men and women, black and white, in law enforcement, who serve with honor and courage are being made to pay the price. Good job Chris and good liberals everywhere, I can’t wait to see the kind of law enforcement (and country) you’re going to get when this is all done.
Watch the video the young man was injured before he was put in the van.
Also why was there no arrest charge for Freddie announced? Why were the PD changed?
1) There was no probable cause….. The law my friend
2) they did not secure him in the van. A persons safety while detained falls on the PD.
So exactly why were the police right here?
You can not arrest a man for eye contact and running. There was no charge. They fed the media lies and you all sit and watch the TV set and tell others who see it locally what happened?
You do not like certain cultures stop hiding it. Why not just say it.
What you should be pushing for is the movement to free the good cops to speak out.
Stop the threats from the fraternity of Police unions. Flush out the bad cops and give the good cops some peace and a platform to do their job correctly.
The poor driver taking the big charge begged them to secure Freddie. Not breaking protocol has ruined his life. What about him? He has nightmares about the death. he is going up on murder. Why because he obeyed orders.
Fix the system and stop protecting the corrupt.
Get the stupid national guard out of here – our rights are gone for a dog and pony show. Who’s paying for all this?
I have to have walking papers to get home at night? Welcome to ‘Merrika
Dewey, we don’t know if there was or was not probable cause…90% of this case has never been made public, nor should it. This is for a fair trial.
Nearly half of Baltimore’s police are black. Expect most all of the police force will be looking for jobs elsewhere. Then Ms. Moron Mayor and the political prosecutor can hand-pick a politically correct police force.
And the fine, upstanding “protestors” have already threatened more burning, looting and destruction should any verdict not be what they want. So, the new and improved, politically correct police can watch the city burn. Again.
This is interesting, I keep getting blocked.
Blocked? ?? I’m checking to see whats up with out website.
Jack writes “To the chagrin of many Americans following this case, Ms. Mosby made a public declaration that sounded an awful lot like a congratulations to the protesters and rioters”
The above statement using the word ‘Congratulations’ by Jack is the key of the issue that I have concerning the indictment of the 6 officers.
Mobley, even though it has been touted Mobley is from a Police back ground family , Mobley has only added fuel to the fire of rioters when she said ‘I heard your call’ and Mobley will be a key part of the reason the next riots take place anywhere in America.
Don’t like the system, or find it broken, don’t worry, go riot to get our attention, then we’ll react. Mobley was a moron, because she had time to prepare a better statement then that.
Why encouragement people to vandalize?
Mobley’s words in effect sanctioned, even encouraged future use of violence to show displeasure of any city’s misgoverned policies.
Mobley sought her 15 minutes of fame, most likely tried to lay ground work for a future political career as well.
Mobley had time to formulate a statement, and somewhat Like Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake who used the phrase ‘give them space to destroy’ is just fueling rioter’s
(Even though days later the mayor released a crafted statement saying she didn’t mean, in her comments that the protesters/rioters in Baltimore had been intentionally given “space” to “destroy” property. Which was nothing more than damage control for her own future political career.)
Too late Mayor, city business’s had already been destroyed, and I’ll wager city attorneys have informed her of possible civil suits against the Mayor office and the city for allowing those business to be destroyed.
And as to the possible rioting encouraged by Mobley’s statement, of ‘we heard your call’ we’ll just have to wait until the next riot, it coming, Mobley has already sanction it!
All as a result of some low life seasoned criminal (s) pushing officers beyond a point of Law enforcement code of ethics:
“I will never act officiously or permit personal feelings, prejudices, animosities or friendships to influence my decisions. With no compromise for crime and with relentless prosecution of criminals, I will enforce the law courteously and appropriately without fear or favor, malice or ill will, never employing unnecessary force or violence and never accepting gratuities.”
“These comments might come as a surprise to some — Dershowitz is a self-avowed liberal democrat who was very vocal over the perceived civil rights violations surrounding the the George Zimmerman case.”
A Famed Harvard Lawyer Goes on Epic Rant: Destroys Baltimore Mayor & Prosecutor Over Murder Charges:
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/05/311371-epic-rant-alan-dershowitz-slugs-baltimore-mayor-prosecutor-police-charges/?
utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=conservativedaily&utm_campaign=Crime
More on professional protestors being used to incite riots in US cities.
Study: The Same ‘Professional Protesters’ Have Incited Violence in Both Baltimore and Ferguson:
“A data mining firm with ties to the government has recently discovered and reported to Fox News that 20-50 social media accounts that worked to stir chaos at the peak of the Ferguson riots have display similar activity that has influenced the spread of violence in Baltimore.
Described as ‘professional protesters’, these accounts used the same tactics in both Baltimore and Ferguson to create viral buzz online, while also inciting specific acts of violence offline, creating key moments in both cities.
The data mining firm stated that the similarities and connections between these accounts dealing with cities that are 825 miles away was ‘surprising’.
‘The implications adds weight to those who have been arguing that the events – though triggered by controversial and arguably shameful events – appear highly scripted and tightly coordinated… with the integrity of news coverage and the role of provocateurs, “professional protesters” and funding from agenda-driven figures like George Soros (who spent some $33 million funding protest groups) coming into question as they paint a larger picture.'”
http://www.truthandaction.org/professional-protesters-discovered-incited-violence-baltimore-ferguson/2/
The National Guard is not stupid, but Dewey sure is.
HAH! The uber race-sensitive poser Chris revives his negro burner post!
Tell me Chris, is there any white man whose feet you would burn, or is it only a black POTUS if he offended you?
“Mr. Sensitivity” is an outright fraud. Given the shameful history of lynching and burning in this country, and the anti-racist posing this phony does, and the way Chris foully calls others racists and bigots at the drop of a hat, you think he would know better.
My hunch is that the cops involved will get a fair trial even though the prosecutor is bowing to the mob.
I just cannot stop laughing over Chris’ “dick-measuring contest” post. Sometimes you just have to laugh and get out of the way.
The Baltimore police story the liberal media isn’t telling.
The Baltimore Police Were Caught Doing Things This Week That Many Would Find ‘Unimaginable’:
http://www.ijreview.com/2015/05/311675-the-baltimore-police-have-come-under-hellish-fire-21-images-tell-a-whole-another-side-of-the-story/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic&utm_content=conservativedaily&utm_campaign=Police
Re #26 Peggy: Yep.
Jack: “If we yield to mob pressure rather than follow process, we are selling society short and worse I doubt we would have nobody willing to be a cop.”
If I have a man in the back of my van screaming for medical help, which I deny him, and if that man then suffers a fatal spine injury while in that van, the “process” that would happen would involve my immediate arrest.
And this doesn’t even get into the unlawful nature of the arrest of Gray–the knife that was taken from him, which the officers claimed was an illegal switchblade, was actually legal. Why aren’t conservatives here concerned about this as a second amendment violation?
Here you have a citizen whose weapon was unlawfully taken from him by agents of the government, and Republicans are siding with the government. Absolutely amazing.
“And what exactly is the history of blacks being mistreated by white cops? Seriously, what are we talking about?”
I’m talking about today. Just the other day I posted data from the Washington Post showing that blacks are much more likely to get arrested than whites for the same crimes:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/09/30/white-people-are-more-likely-to-deal-drugs-but-black-people-are-more-likely-to-get-arrested-for-it/
Chris as far as I know everything you are talking about in #33 is unsubstantiated hearsay. Has any of what you just said been released by the police? I can’t/won’t speak about the details until the truth is published. When it is, let me know and let’s discuss it.
Jack, I got my information about Gray being denied medical help from Fox News. Now they could be wrong about this–wouldn’t be the first time–but it’s not their style to publish something unfavorable to the police unless it’s confirmed:
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/05/01/timeline-freddie-gray-arrest-on-april-12/
The claim about the knife being legal comes from the prosecutor, though that may be wrong as well.
Pie: “Tell me Chris, is there any white man whose feet you would burn, or is it only a black POTUS if he offended you?”
I’ll never understand: What do you get out of pretending to be illiterate? Seriously, what’s in it for you? Insulting me in the stupidest ways possible can’t really be worth making a fool of yourself every single day, can it?
Probable cause means if a police officer has reason to suspect a crime has been committed, whether or not it has, is reason enough to detain a person. If after due review, the detainee was deemed not to have committed a crime or there is a lack of evidence, the detainee shall be released pursuant to 849b W&I Code, declaring this was not an arrest, it was a detention for investigative purposes. A time limit is imposed and the clock starts when the person is detained in custody. Reasons for detention might be subject was observed dealing drugs, but the buyer escaped with the drugs and all the police found was the buy money on the seller. A search was done for the buyer while the subject was detained.
Re #36: Evidently Chris is still measuring his dick! Is this the sort of person you would entrust to teach your children?
I think not.
Pie Guevara, please cease your baseless attacks on my profession. These attacks are off-topic, out of line, and tasteless. They reflect far worse on you than they do me.