Baltimore, MD — This week, protests and riots erupted in Baltimore, in response to the police murder of an innocent 27-year-old man named Freddie Gray.
According to police, Gray was first stopped and arrested by officers at 8:39am on April 12 and was thrown in the back of a police van 15 minutes later. An entire hour later an ambulance was called to give him medical care, but he sadly fell into a coma died soon after. He suffered broken vertebra and an injured voice box, which required emergency spinal surgery that he never recovered from.
Many suspect that Gray was the victim of a “Nickel Ride”, a horrific police torture tactic where a suspect is handcuffed and placed in the back of a police van without restraints, and driven recklessly around town by police officers. This practice has also been called a “Rough Ride” or a “Cowboy Ride.”
“We know he was not buckled in the transportation wagon, as he should have been. No excuses for that, period,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said Friday. “We know our police employees failed to get him medical attention in a timely manner multiple times.”
According to NBC News,
Davis said the police van stopped three times before arriving at the station. It stopped first so police could place “leg irons” on Gray, and stopped a second time “to deal with Mr. Gray, and the facts of that interaction are under investigation,” Davis said.The van stopped a third time to pick up a second prisoner and went on to the Western District police station, where an ambulance was called, Davis said. “At no point was he wearing a seat belt,” while in the police van, Davis said. Police policy requires all prisoners to wear seat belts during transport.
Last year, Nickel Rides became notorious in Philadelphia,
after a court case revealed that police were using this tactic as a
witness-free way to punish unruly, uncooperative, or arrogant suspects –
without ever laying a hand on them. For rogue police, it was a literal
way to deliver “street justice.”
The practice was exposed through the lawsuit of a man named James McKenna, who was awarded $490,000 after he was able to prove in court that he was intentionally injured during his ride in a police van.
Baltimore itself also has a dark history of police van torture. In fact, Baltimore Police have paid out millions of dollars in settlements to victims who were critically injured during rides in police vans. In 2012, a woman from Baltimore named Christine Abbott sued police after she was badly injured during a bumpy ride in the back of a police van.
That same year, the death of Anthony Anderson was ruled a homicide, he too died of injuries sustained while riding in a police van.
The practice was exposed through the lawsuit of a man named James McKenna, who was awarded $490,000 after he was able to prove in court that he was intentionally injured during his ride in a police van.
Baltimore itself also has a dark history of police van torture. In fact, Baltimore Police have paid out millions of dollars in settlements to victims who were critically injured during rides in police vans. In 2012, a woman from Baltimore named Christine Abbott sued police after she was badly injured during a bumpy ride in the back of a police van.
That same year, the death of Anthony Anderson was ruled a homicide, he too died of injuries sustained while riding in a police van.
Freddie Gray Arrest Record, Criminal History & Rap Sheet
Gray had a lengthy arrest record with convictions dating back until at least 2007, according to the Maryland Department of Justice. Not all of the arrests led to convictions, in many of the cases he pleaded guilty to one charge while the others were dropped. Details of when he spent time in prison were not immediately available. His arrest record includes at least 18 arrests:- March 20, 2015: Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance
- March 13, 2015: Malicious destruction of property, second-degree assault
- January 20, 2015: Fourth-degree burglary, trespassing
- January 14, 2015: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
- December 31, 2014: Possession of narcotics with intent to distribute
- December 14, 2014: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance
- August 31, 2014: Illegal gambling, trespassing
- January 25, 2014: Possession of marijuana
- September 28, 2013: Distribution of narcotics, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, second-degree assault, second-degree escape
- April 13, 2012: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, violation of probation
- July 16, 2008: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute
- March 28, 2008: Unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance
- March 14, 2008: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to manufacture and distribute
- February 11, 2008: Unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance
- August 29, 2007: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, violation of probation
- August 28, 2007: Possession of marijuana
- August 23, 2007: False statement to a peace officer, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance
- July 16, 2007: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance (2 counts)
http://heavy.com/news/2015/04/freddie-gray-arrest-record-criminal-history-rap-sheet-why-was-freddie-gray-arrested/
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