Death Of Freddie Gray Ruled A Homicide
The city of Baltimore exploded in protests after Freddie Gray died of severe spinal cord injuries while in police custody. Many felt that his injuries could have been avoided, but Baltimore police took Gray on a “rough ride” in the back of a police van without securing him properly. Six officers were indicted by the Baltimore state’s attorney for the arrest and transport of Gray. The state medical examiner’s report was recently leaked and it has been reported that Freddie Gray’s death has been ruled a homicide.
According to The Baltimore Sun:
The state medical examiner’s office concluded that Gray’s death could not be ruled an accident, and was instead a homicide, because officers failed to follow safety procedures “through acts of omission.”
Though Gray was loaded into the van on his belly, the medical examiner surmised that he may have gotten to his feet and was thrown into the wall during an abrupt change in direction. He was not belted in, but his wrists and ankles were shackled, putting him “at risk for an unsupported fall during acceleration or deceleration of the van.”
The medical examiner compared Gray’s injury to those seen in shallow-water diving incidents.
The autopsy was completed the day before State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced the charges against the six officers. Mosby denounced the leak of the autopsy report saying, “I strongly condemn anyone with access to trial evidence who has leaked information prior to the resolution of this case.” She is pursuing a protective order to keep evidence under wraps.
The trial of the six officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray is set for October. All officers have pleaded not guilty.
