Madness in Baltimore!!

[countrygirl12]

So, the other prisoner in the police van said that Freddie Gray was trying intentionally hurt himself by banging his head against the wall? Getting my popcorn ready.

Other prisoner?  This is the first I have heard about another prisoner being in the back of the van.  And no, I won't be eating any popcorn.  The more people flock to watch the more the media hypes it up.  The more attention these idiots are given the more they will do what they are doing.  Ignore them, give them no attention, and eventually they will get tired of it and go home.

I'm afraid that this might turn into another Ferguson where the facts that come out will exonerate the police at least in killing Freddie Gray (although I do think that the cops are culpable in mistreatment of him)... What I've seen with all of these stories is that people are so knee-jerked that they act on their feelings of what they think the incident was about, but later cooler heads show that the original story wasn't correct and that the facts of the case lead to a different idea of what actually happened.

In addition to this other prisoner that was in the van at the same time witnessing Freddie doing harm to himself, there has been a report that the medical examiner stated that the most likely cause for his death was from an injury caused by a bolt in the back of the van. This and the other prisoner's account could mean that Freddie accidentally killed himself (or at least caused the injury that lead to his death). However even though the bolt in the van may have caused the lethal injury, it still is unknown exactly how he sustained that injury. It is just as likely that because the police didn't strap him in a seat-belt, Freddie was injured by the bolt when he was flung around inside the van while being transported.

While I was typing, I heard a news report on the radio stating that some officers were arrested for homicide in regards to this case. In that report, (I believe it was the mayor speaking) it was said that Freddie not being in a seat-belt was one of the facts that was being used in the arrest. Thus although it may show that the death of Freddie was not racially motivated, the police may still be charged for murder because of their mistreatment of him.

Yeah, I like how the news stories are released and then what they all heard is released tid bits at a time.  And they are quick to release before they even know if it is true so THEY can be the first to report it.  The man was screaming in pain before they put him in the van.  I think they hurt him before he ever got to the van.  May not have meant to kill him but the police get tired of dealing with the same thugs all the time, get on power trips, among other things and it is total fact that they have hit people because they can.  Or shot them - because they can.  They have a badge and think they are above the law.  I have always respected officers of the law but lately - I have no use for them.  They seem to just be a bunch of punks that are scared of their own shadow.  The other prisoner was picked up along the way so he was not in there for the whole thing anyway.  And we will never know what happened.  Although I am sure they 6 cops will start telling on each other to save their own skin.  They are just like the thugs they arrest.

[countrygirl12]

I have begun tuning out the news because it just seems to glorify criminals. It is difficult to find an unbiased news outlet. I have heard of the Baltimore uprising but that it is not as much about race as it is about the wrong doing of six civil servants.  The cliché associated was that this wasn't about black versus white but, rather, black versus blue       
(meaning the police).  I do not think that violence solves anything nor does looting and rioting.  I feel sorry for the poor business owners that had nothing to do with this and, yet, they are watching their store fronts ravaged and their shelves pillaged.  I did hear that the news said this could be a blow to Baltimore's economy.  Seriously (tic)?  How ignorant does the media think it's viewers are?!

You are right in it is NOT a race thing but they ARE making it one.  If I hear one more black person on tv screaming about how they are oppressed and held back because they are black I am going to scream.  Or how they still don't have equal rights.  Don't even get me started!  There were 3 cops that were black so it def was not about race.  It was a cop on a power trip tired of the same ole thug doing the same old thing.  You may not think it is right but it is like a friend said yesterday - IF a cop tells you to turn around and face the wall - you better turn around and face the wall!  You don't take off running.  He was a known criminal and he made eye contact with the cop and took off running thus pretty much telling them "I am doing something illegal or have active warrants or something".

[bremer51]

Seriously...taking out the police?  Total chaos.

[autumnsparklemom]

Very sad indeed.