Freddie Gray born
Freddie Carlos Gray, Jr. is born to Gloria Darden, a disabled heroin addict, who cannot read. He has a twin sister Fredericka, as well as another sister, Carolina. Darden on the twins:
They were real small and they had to keep them inside the hospital for a couple months, like until they gained five pounds. I had them too early, had to have them like when I was seven months pregnant.
Lead paint lawsuit
Gray and his siblings file a lead-poisoning lawsuit against the property owner of the house they lived in on North Carey Street from 1992-1997. Gray lived in the front room with his mother. Court records show that in May of 1990, when the family was living in a home on Fulton Avenue in West Baltimore, Gray’s blood contained more than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood — double the level at which the Center for Disease Control urges additional testing. Three months later, his blood had nearly 30 micrograms. In June 1991, when Gray was 22 months old, his blood carried 37 micrograms. It is believed that anything higher than five micrograms can cripple a child’s cognitive development. From Gray’s deposition:
There was a big hole when you go up the steps. There was a couple of walls that wasn’t painted all the way, peeled. . . . And like the windows, paint was peeling off the windows.
The suit results in an undisclosed settlement in 2010.
Gray’s arrest
Lt. Rice and Police Officers Nero and Miller are on bike patrol near the corner of North Avenue and Mount Street, Baltimore. Lieutenant Rice makes eye contact with Gray, who runs away. Less than a minute later Gray surrenders to Miller and Nero in the 1700 block of Presbury Street. The officers handcuff Gray and places him face down. Gray requests an inhaler, and says he cannot breathe, but does not receive one. Miller and Nero put Gray in a seated position and find a folding knife, and charge him with illegal possession of a switchblade knife. The officers then place Gray down on his stomach and restrain him until the police van arrived. Miller’s report:
The defendant was apprehended in the 1700 block of Presbury St. after a brief foot chase. This office noticed a knife clipped to the inside of his front right pants pocket. The defendant was arrested without force or incident. The knife was recovered by this officer and found to be a spring-assisted, one hand-operated knife. During transport to Western District via wagon transport the defendant suffered a medical emergency and was immediately transported to shock trauma via media.
First van stop
Lieutenant Rice directs Goodson, who is driving the van, to stop. Miller, Nero and Rice remove Mr. Gray from the van and place him in handcuffs and leg restraints. Gray is loaded head first onto the floor of the van.
Second van stop
Goodson stops the van at Fremont Avenue and Mosher Street and goes back to observe Gray, but does not render any medical assistance. Gray is still unsecured by a seatbelt. Goodson returns to the driver’s seat and continues to Central Booking.
Third van stop
A few blocks later, Goodson asks for an additional unit to check on Gray, and Porter arrives. Porter and Goodson check on Gray. Gray asks for help, says he can’t breathe and asks twice for a medic. Porter helps Gray onto the bench. Neither officer belt him in or request or render medical assistance. After this stop the van is diverted to pick up another person who had been arrested.
Fourth van stop
(Exact time unknown) Goodson and Porter respond to a request for additional units and are met by Nero, Miller, Porter and Rice. Gray is unresponsive on the floor. Sgt. White, who is investigating complaints related to Gray’s arrest, speaks to the back of Gray’s head, but he doesn’t respond. A second prisoner is loaded into the van. Gray is no longer breathing.
Van arrives at station
The van arrives at the Western District police station. Gray is not breathing and a medic is called. He is taken to the University of Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center.
Freddie Gray dead age 25
In the week since his arrest Gray suffers from total cardiopulmonary arrest at least once but is resuscitated without ever regaining consciousness. He lapsed into a coma with three fractured vertebrae, injuries to his “voice box”, and his spine “80% severed” at his neck. An autopsy confirms that Gray died from a severe injury to his spinal cord. Gray family attorney:
He lapsed into a coma, died, was resuscitated, stayed in a coma and on Monday underwent extensive surgery at Shock Trauma to save his life. He clung to life for seven days.
Condemns violence
Obama condemns the violence in Baltimore and expressed condolences to the family of Gray.
There is no excuse for the kind of violence we saw yesterday. It is counter-productive…People are stealing and damaging their own communities and that is no statement on police brutality or any other kind of issue.
Riots spread to Chicago
0 CommentsHundreds of protesters line the streets in front of Police Headquarters in Chicago to register their concern and objections to a series of police shootings across the country. While protests were initially peaceful, later protesters began shoving against a police line. No injuries have been reported although several people are said to be in custody. Demonstrator:
Police are doing a lot of scary things in America right now, and it’s dangerous to be black in America right now, and they’re fighting back the only way we know how to now.
Cause of death
Police announce that cause of death is determined to be an injury from the accident. Coroner bases conclusion on the results of the autopsy which indicates that a broken neck is the cause of death and not anything occurring during the arrest. Spokesman:
The medical examiner found Gray’s catastrophic injury was caused when he slammed into the back of the police transport van, apparently breaking his neck. [However, he added] We don’t do preliminary findings, and the investigation isn’t concluded.
Six officers charged
Prosecutors file homicide, manslaughter and misconduct charges against police officers. State’s attorney Mosby, says officers abused Gray, arrested him without grounds and violated police procedure by putting him in handcuffs and leg restraints in the van without putting a seatbelt on him, as well as repeatedly failing to seek medical attention after he was injured. Mosby also says that the knife Gray was not a switchblade, was lawful, and that the officers had failed to establish probable cause for an arrest. Mosby:
We have probable cause to file criminal charges
Goodson is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, assault and misconduct in office. Rice is charged with manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment. Officer Porter and Sgt. White are each charged with manslaughter, assault and misconduct in office. Officers Nero and Miller are charged with assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment.
GoFundme page removed
A funding page for the six officers set up by The Fraternal Order of Police, a union representing Baltimore City police officers, is removed by the site. The page set a fundraising goal of $600,000 to pay for the living expenses of the six officers, who have been placed on unpaid suspension after they were charged in Gray’s death. In 41 minutes, the page raised $1,135. The FOP posts on its Facebook page:
Apparently our GoFundMe account has been suspended with no explanation. We are working to find a new site for donations. Thank you!
Files to see knife
Lawyers for Nero file a motion in Baltimore District Court, asking the police department and prosecutor to produce the knife that was the reason for Gray’s arrest. Mosby, when charging Nero, said that Gray’s knife was legal under Maryland law, meaning Nero had arrested Gray illegally. If the knife is deemed to be an illegal knife then Nero’s charges of second-degree assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment will fail, as Gray’s arrest would have been justified.
Dismissal filing cites conflict of interest
Attorneys for the six Baltimore police officers charged in Gray’s death file a motion to have the case dismissed or have Marilyn Mosby’s office taken off the case. The motion lists what attorneys say are numerous conflicts of interest and concerns about the investigation. The filing says Marilyn Mosby’s husband, City Councilman Nick Mosby, represents the West Baltimore district where Gray was arrested, and that one of her chief prosecutors is in a relationship with a local television reporter who interviewed the prisoner who was in the police van with Gray on April 12. The filing also says Marilyn Mosby has a close professional and personal relationship with Murphy, the Gray family’s lawyer and unofficial spokesman. Filing:
Mrs. Mosby’s connection to Mr. Murphy is of great concern to the undersigned counsel and it should be of greater concern to the residents of this city/ The connection between Mrs. Mosby and Mr. Murphy is undeniable and the conflict it creates is detrimental in the pursuit of justice.
Baltimore
Prince releases his protest song, which was recorded on April 30 at Paisley Park Studios. Prince plays all the instruments himself. The song includes the following lyrics:
Does anybody hear us pray?/for Michael Brown or Freddie Gray/Peace is more than the absence of war
If there ain’t no justice/then there ain’t no peace
https://soundcloud.com/prince3eg/baltimore
Performs Baltimore ‘Rally 4 Peace’ concert
Prince performs a live show at the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, featuring classic hits and his protest song, Baltimore. 3rdEyeGirl backs Prince in front of an audience wearing mostly gray, in honor of Gray. Prince:
You look around, and the system is broken. It’s gonna take the young people to fix it this time. We need new ideas, new life. Most of all, we need new peace. And the kind of peace I’m talking about is spelled p-i-e-c-e. Next time I come to Baltimore, I want to stay in a hotel owned by one of you.
On-stage guests included Doug E. Fresh, Estellem Miguel, and State Attorney Mosby, who was seated on a leather couch on the left side of the stage, and about 20 minutes into the concert she was led to the center by Prince.
Shares Dance Rally 4 Peace concert
Prince and his band 3rdEyeGirl share a free soundboard-quality recording of his May 2 “Dance Rally 4 Peace” concert via Soundcloud. The concert features some of the artist’s lesser-known hard-rock tracks, such as Dreamer, Guitar and Chaos & Disorder, alongside frequent guitar solos and improvisation. At the end of the recording, Prince speaks directly to the crowd:
Do me a favor and take care of each other, all right? It don’t matter the color; we’re all family.
Indicted by grand jury
Mosby announces grand jury indictments against the police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray.
These past two weeks, my team has been presenting evidence to a grand jury that just today returned indictments against all six officers.
Arraignment against the officers in the case is scheduled for July 2