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The Death of Freddy Gray
Wikipedia
April 27, 2015
Category: Police State
On April 12, 2015, 25-year-old African American Freddie Gray was taken into custody by the Baltimore Police Department for possession of a switchblade. Whilst being transported, Gray had experienced what was described by officers as a "medical emergency"; within an hour of his arrest, Gray had fallen into a coma and had been taken to a trauma center, where it was determined that he had suffered from a spinal injury. According to his family, Gray's spine was "80% severed" at his neck, he had three fractured vertebrae, and his larynx was injured. The events that led to the injuries are unclear; Officer Garrett Miller claimed that Gray was arrested "without force or incident."
Despite extensive surgery in an attempt to save his life, Gray died on April 19, 2015.[4] Pending an investigation, six Baltimore police officers were temporarily suspended with pay.[3] Police Commissioner Anthony Batts reported that the officers "failed to get [Gray] medical attention in a timely manner multiple times", and did not buckle him in the van while he was being transported to the police station.
The death of Gray resulted in an ongoing series of protests and civil disorder; a major protest event in downtown Baltimore on April 25, 2015 turned violent, resulting in 34 arrests and the injuries of 15 police officers. Following Gray's funeral on April 27, the unrest intensified with the looting and burning of local businesses and a CVS pharmaceutical store, culminating with the deployment of the United States National Guard to Baltimore and declaration of a state of emergency by governor Larry Hogan.
Police encountered Freddie Gray on April 12, 2015, in an area of Baltimore a police spokesman said was known for drug deals and violent crimes. He ran; according to court documents Gray "fled unprovoked upon noticing police presence". Police chased and tackled Gray, found a switchblade in his pocket, and took him into custody at 8:40 a.m. Two bystanders captured Gray's arrest with video recordings.
According to the police timeline, Gray was in a transport van within 11 minutes of his arrest, and within 30 minutes, paramedics were summoned to take Gray to a hospital. He was taken to the University of Maryland R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, in a coma within an hour of being taken into police custody.
The statement of charges filed by Officer Garrett Miller against Gray accused him of possessing a switchblade. Miller wrote, "The defendant was arrested without force or incident." Officers also reported "that he suffered a medical emergency during transport".
In the following week, according to the Gray family attorney, Gray was resuscitated, remained in a coma, and underwent extensive surgery in an effort to save his life. According to his family, he lapsed into a coma after his spine was "80% severed" at his neck, he had three fractured vertebrae, and his larynx was injured. He died on April 19, 2015, a week after his arrest.
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