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DOJ Won’t Prosecute Baltimore Officers In Freddie Gray Case

September 13, 2017 by 911media

The Department of Justice will not bring civil rights charges against six Baltimore police involved in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, the young black man whose death caused widespread violent protest in that city in 2015.

The decision, first reported by the Baltimore Sun, was confirmed by the department late Tuesday. In a detailed nine-page statement, the department said its officials determined that “the evidence is insufficient to prove beyond a reasonable doubt” that the officers involved in Gray’s arrest “willfully violated” his civil rights.

“Accordingly, the investigation into this incident has been closed without prosecution,” the statement concluded.

The 25-year-old Gray was arrested and taken into custody on April 12, 2015, in West Baltimore. He was placed in a police van, handcuffed behind his back and with his legs shackled, but not restrained with a seat belt. During the transport, he suffered a broken neck and lost consciousness. Gray died about a week later.

The incident set off riots by angry residents who have long complained about police abuses in that city.

However, the department’s decision was not unexpected. In the aftermath of Gray’s death and the ensuing violence, local authorities brought charges, ranging from manslaughter to reckless endangerment, against six police officers involved in arresting and transporting Gray. Three officers were acquitted and charges against three others were dropped.

Five of the officers still face police department disciplinary hearings scheduled for the end of October.

Proving a federal case against the officers would likely have been even more difficult than prosecuting the local charges. Federal prosecutors would have to prove “that the officer acted with the specific intent to do something the law forbids,” according to the DOJ statement. For example, the department said it could not prove that the driver of the police van, Officer Caesar Goodson, intentionally gave Gray a “rough ride” in order to cause him harm.

Still, Gray’s death had repercussions. It led to the firing of then-police Commissioner Anthony Batts. Under the Obama administration, the DOJ launched an investigation of the Baltimore Police Department. In a report released last year, the department concluded that the “BPD makes stops, searches and arrests without the required justification; uses enforcement strategies that unlawfully subject African Americans to disproportionate rates of stops, searches and arrests; uses excessive force; and retaliates against individuals for their constitutionally-protected expression.” The department and city agreed to court-enforceable reforms.

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This year, the names of 345 law enforcement officers — 148 who died in the line of duty in 2024 and 197 who died in previous years — have been added to the sacred walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Tonight, at our nation’s capital, tens of thousands of people from across the country and around the world will gather on the National Mall to honor these heroes as their names are read aloud during the 37th annual Candlelight Vigil.

For those unable to attend in person but who wish to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund will host a livestream of the event at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ALpizgnNz8 and on Facebook at Facebook.com/NLEOMF.

We will never forget.

#nationalpoliceweek #candlielightvigil #honorourfallen #community #thinblueline #supportlawenforcement #lvppa

Here’s a snapshot from last Friday’s Police vs. Fire team dinner! Our two teams broke bread and enjoyed a great family dinner before the big game. This annual charity fundraiser is truly a community first responder event. There are police and corrections officers from Las Vegas Metro as well as the Clark County School District Police Department. The Fire Department team has firefighters from the Clark County Fire Department, Las Vegas Fire Department, Henderson Fire Department and Mesquite Fire Department.

#lvmpd #lasvegas #vegasstrong #community #charity #giveback #lvppa #pffn #thinredline #firefighters #police #cops #vegascops #pffn #lasvegasfirefighters #backtheblue #hendersonfiredepartment #football #raiders #bishopgorman

Photos from Las Vegas Police Protective Association's post

As proud longstanding members of National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO) we stand with our brothers and sisters remembering our heroes who sacrificed so much for those they do not know.

During National Police Week, May 11–17, the LVPPA stands with the law enforcement profession to honor our brothers and sisters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty in 2024 and previous years. These courageous officers ran toward danger to protect their communities from those intent on causing harm and disorder. We will never forget how these brave heroes stood up against evil to fulfill their duty to protect and serve others.

#nationalpoliceweek #honorourfallen #community #thinblueline #supportlawenforcement #lvppa

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