With Baltimore Prosecutions, a Chance Finally for Us to Break a Vicious Cycle

     You know the cycle-a new troubling story of police interactions with African American suspects that begs lots of unsettling questions. However, invariably, the police officers in question walk without consequence. Grand Jury after Grand Jury declines to have a trial. 

     In Baltimore this cycle has now been broken as we are at least going to have a trial to figure out how it was that another young Black man, Freddie Grey, who's arrest itself is reported to have been illegal ended up dead during his time in police custody. 

    No we haven't magically solved the problem yet but at least we are going to have some real answers unlike in Ferguson, NYC, or countless other uncomfortably similar cases. It also raises another uncomfortable question: in this case was violence the answer?

     "This is just extraordinary news out of Baltimore:

The six Baltimore police officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray – who died last month after being injured in police custody – have been charged criminally, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced Friday.

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, assault, manslaughter, misconduct and other charges.

Officer William Porter, 25, and Lt. Brian Rice, 41, were charged with involuntary manslaughter. 

Sgt. Alicia White, 30, was charged with manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. Officer Edward Nero, 29, and Officer Garrett Miller, 26, were charged with assault and misconduct.

       "We’re going to learn more in the coming days about what the prosecutors say happened, what the officers say happened, and what evidence there is for each story. But police officers getting charged with murder and manslaughter is an extremely rare occurrence, and it forces us to ask a difficult question:

      "Would this have happened if the protests in Baltimore hadn’t turned violent? Is that what it takes to get accountability when someone dies at the hands of police?"

     http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/05/01/did-violence-in-baltimore-lead-to-cops-being-prosecuted-for-freddie-grays-death/

     Let's be clear: I don't know what happened. No one does yet other than the 6 officers arrested and perhaps some from within the department. I don't know that what happened was murder or criminal negligence. However, the question is begged. We need to at least raise the question. Mostly we need to know what happened here. This is what has frustrated so many Americans-of all races who are concerned. 

    For something like this to happen and then to have no answers. This is what has happened in all those previous cases; this time it's not being swept under the rug and the authorities aren't taking the attitude of 'Nothing to see here folks, Pass the popcorn.' This is progress. 

    There is a long way to go. But with the President's speech, the prosecution of the officers in question, and a clear heightened awareness, we're going in the right direction at least. I think there is more reason for confidence that something will actually be done about this than we have had for a long time.  

    With Hillary herself weighing in, you can see this. 

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2015/04/29/morning-plum-baltimore-riots-enter-the-presidential-race/

    The issue of inner city poverty and violence are also being discussed now. 

    P.S. As we don't know what happened-there could be some exculpatory evidence for the officers in question. I make no assumption that they are-or aren't-guilty. 

    So for the Police Union to come out and insist that they did nothing wrong is unhelpful-how do they know?

     Michael Davey, a lawyer for Lt. Brian Rice, one of the six police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, called the charges “a rush to judgment” in an afternoon news conference. He said he was speaking on behalf of all six officers.

    “We believe that these officers will be vindicated as they’ve done nothing wrong,” he said.

     "Mr. Davey, who represents the Fraternal Order of Police, said he still hopes the case will be reviewed by an independent prosecutor. He asserted that Lieutenant Rice had acted reasonably and in accordance with the law."

     “I have never seen such a hurried rush to file criminal charges,” he said, adding that all the officers were truly saddened by the death of Mr. Gray and that “no one condones” police misconduct.

     http://www.nytimes.com/live/confrontation-in-baltimore/police-union-lawyer-says-officers-did-nothing-wrong/

     Correct-normally what we see is nothing done at all. Or a grand jury process that says the police did nothing wrong but won't let us see the evidence that got them to this conclusion.

      At this point, we've seen that the Grand Jury process is biased in favor of the police. No one is saying they're guilty just that there is at least probable cause-enough to go on to at least have a trail. 

      What Mr. Davey seems to want is the previous status quo where someone dies under mysterious circumstances and its' 'pass the popcorn.'

      I would certainly hope that the officers were all saddened by what happened and that misconduct is not condoned-it'd be shocking if this were not the case-but at this point, we need to know what happened. Simply offering a blanket defense of whatever actual police are involved in these incidents won't cut it. 

       UPDATE: I definitely don't agree that violence is the answer just that this is how some people are going to read it. Baltimore is rightfully prosecuting anyone seen engaged in looting or rioting. However, I do think that public officials should understand that this is not an issue that can be swept under the rug anymore.