Freddie Gray
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On April 12, 2015, Freddie Carlos Gray Jr., a 25-year-old African American, was arrested by the
Baltimore Police Department The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) is the municipal police department of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Dating back to 1784, the BPD, consisting of 2,935 employees in 2020, is organized into nine districts covering of land and of waterw ...
for possession of a knife. While in police custody, Gray sustained fatal injuries and was taken to the
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (also referred to as Shock Trauma) is a Physical trauma, trauma hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and is part of the University of Maryland Medical System. Shock Trauma was founded by R Adams Cowley, considered th ...
. Gray's death on April 19, 2015, was ascribed to injuries to his cervical
spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue that extends from the medulla oblongata in the lower brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone) of vertebrate animals. The center of the spinal c ...
. Pending an investigation of the incident, six Baltimore police officers were suspended. Commissioner Anthony W. Batts reported that officers had not secured Gray inside the van while driving to the police station, contrary to a policy that had been put into effect six days prior to Gray's arrest. The medical examiner's office concluded that Gray's death could not be ruled an accident, and was instead a homicide, because officers failed to follow safety procedures. Baltimore City State's Attorney,
Marilyn Mosby Marilyn Mosby (née James; born January 22, 1980) is a former American politician and lawyer who served as the State's Attorney of Baltimore from 2015 to 2023. She was the youngest state prosecutor for any major city in the United States. Mosby ...
announced her office had filed charges against six police officers after the medical examiner's report ruled Gray's death a
homicide Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a Volition (psychology), volitional act, or an omission, that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from Accident, accidenta ...
. Prosecutors found probable cause to file criminal charges against the six police officers who were believed to be involved in his death. The officer driving the van was charged with second-degree depraved-heart
murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse committed with the necessary Intention (criminal law), intention as defined by the law in a specific jurisd ...
for his indifference to the considerable risk that Gray might be killed, and others were charged with crimes ranging from
manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
to illegal arrest. A
grand jury A grand jury is a jury empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a person to testify. A grand ju ...
indicted the officers on most of the original charges filed by Mosby with the exception of the charges of illegal imprisonment and
false arrest False arrest, unlawful arrest or wrongful arrest is a common law tort, where a plaintiff alleges they were held in custody without probable cause, or without an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. Although it is possible to sue ...
, and added charges of
reckless endangerment Endangerment is a type of crime involving conduct that is wrongful and reckless or wanton, and likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm to another person. There are several kinds of endangerment, each of which is a criminal act that can b ...
to all the officers involved. Gray's hospitalization and subsequent death resulted in a series of
protests A protest (also called a demonstration, remonstration, or remonstrance) is a public act of objection, disapproval or dissent against political advantage. Protests can be thought of as acts of cooperation in which numerous people cooperate ...
. A major protest in downtown Baltimore turned violent, resulting in 34 arrests and injuries to 15 police officers. After Gray's funeral,
civil disorder Civil disorder, also known as civil disturbance, civil unrest, civil strife, or turmoil, are situations when law enforcement and security forces struggle to Public order policing, maintain public order or tranquility. Causes Any number of thin ...
intensified with
looting Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...
and
burning Combustion, or burning, is a high-temperature exothermic redox chemical reaction between a fuel (the reductant) and an oxidant, usually atmospheric oxygen, that produces oxidized, often gaseous products, in a mixture termed as smoke. Combust ...
of local businesses and a CVS drug store, culminating with a
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
declaration by Governor
Larry Hogan Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr. (born May 25, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 62nd governor of Maryland from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party and son of three-term U.S. representative Lawrence Hogan, he served as co-ch ...
,
Maryland National Guard The Maryland Military Department (MMD) is a department of the State of Maryland directed by the adjutant general of Maryland. The Maryland Military Department consists of the: *State Operations section, which manages fiscal and administrative ...
deployment to Baltimore, and the establishment of a curfew. On May 3, the National Guard started withdrawing from Baltimore, and on that night the curfew on the city was lifted. In September 2015, it was decided that there would be separate trials for the accused. The trial against Officer William Porter ended in mistrial. Officers Nero, Goodson, and Rice were acquitted. The charges against the two remaining officers were dropped. On September 12, 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would not bring federal charges against the six Baltimore police officers involved in the arrest and death in custody of Gray.


Backgrounds


Freddie Gray

Freddie Carlos Gray Jr. (August 16, 1989 – April 19, 2015) was the 25-year-old son of Gloria Darden. He had a twin sister, Fredericka Gray, as well as another sister, Carolina. He was diagnosed with
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation that are excessive and pervasive, impairing in multiple con ...
after entering school, where he attended special education classes, played
wide receiver A wide receiver (WR), also referred to as a wideout, and historically known as a split end (SE) or flanker (FL), is an eligible receiver in gridiron football. A key skill position of the offense (American football), offense, WR gets its name ...
in a local football little league team, and was a truant student. Gray failed several grades and dropped out of high school in ninth grade. At the time of his death, Gray lived in the home owned by his sisters in the Gilmor Homes neighborhood. He stood and weighed . Gray had a criminal record with 18 prior arrests, on drug charges, three separate assault charges, and minor crimes and had spent time in jail.


Police officers

* Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr., age 45, then a 16-year veteran of the police force. * Officer Garrett E. Miller, age 26, joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2012. * Officer Edward M. Nero, age 29, joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2012. * Officer William G. Porter, age 25, joined the police force in 2012. * Lieutenant Brian W. Rice, age 41, then a 17-year-veteran of the force. Rice, who was promoted to lieutenant in 2011, is the highest-ranking officer charged in relation to Gray's death. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...
'' reported that, in 2012, Rice had allegedly threatened to kill himself and the husband of his former partner. He had been hospitalized, reportedly, for a mental health evaluation and given an administrative suspension. The consequences of this threat included Rice having his guns confiscated, and a restraining order on behalf of the husband of his former partner. According to a police report obtained by ''The Guardian'', Rice had also misused his position to order the arrest of his ex-girlfriend's husband as part of a personal dispute that took place two weeks before the incident. Rice's record with the police Internal Affairs Division consisted of thirty-two complaints, two of which were sustained cases: a 1998 incident involving drug evidence left in his car, and a 2012 incident where he sent sexual images to his former partner using his departmental cell phone. * Sergeant Alicia D. White, age 30, joined the force in 2010 and was promoted to sergeant three months prior to Gray's death. She grew up in Baltimore.


Arrest and death

Police encountered Freddie Gray on the morning of April 12, 2015, in the street near Baltimore's Gilmor Homes housing project, an area known to have high levels of home foreclosures,
poverty Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse Biophysical environmen ...
, drug deals, and
violent crime A violent crime, violent felony, crime of violence or crime of a violent nature is a crime in which an offender or perpetrator uses or threatens to use harmful Force (law), force upon a victim. This entails both crimes in which the violence, vio ...
. Approximately three weeks prior to the incident, Mosby had requested "enhanced" drug enforcement efforts at the corner of North and Mount. According to the charging documents submitted by the Baltimore police, at 8:39 a.m Lieutenant Brian W. Rice, Officer Edward Nero, and Officer Garrett E. Miller were patrolling on bicycles and made eye contact with Gray, who proceeded to flee on foot "unprovoked upon noticing police presence". After a brief chase, Gray was apprehended and taken into custody "without the use of force or incident", according to Officer Garrett Miller, who wrote he "noticed a knife clipped to the inside of his ray'sfront right pocket". In the formal statement of charges, Officer Miller stated that Gray "did unlawfully carry, possess, and sell a knife commonly known as a switch blade knife, with an automatic spring or other device for opening and/or closing the blade within the limits of Baltimore City. The knife was recovered by this officer and found to be a spring assisted one hand operated knife." According to the state's attorney for Baltimore City, the spring-assisted knife Gray was carrying was legal under Maryland law, while a police task force said the knife was a violation of the Baltimore code under which Gray was charged. Video recordings by two bystanders capturing Gray's arrest showed Gray, screaming, being dragged to a police van by officers, and then stepping up into the van. A bystander with connections to Gray stated that the officers were previously "folding" Gray: one officer bent Gray's legs backwards, and another held Gray down by pressing a knee into his neck. Witnesses commented Gray "couldn't walk", "can't use his legs". Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony W. Batts noted from the video that "Gray stood on one leg and climbed into the van on his own." ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news. Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
'' reported that another witness saw Gray being beaten with police batons. According to the police timeline, Gray was placed in a transport van within 11 minutes of his arrest, and within 30 minutes, paramedics were summoned to take Gray to a hospital. The van made four confirmed stops while Gray was detained. At 8:46 am, Gray was unloaded in order to be placed in
leg irons Legcuffs are physical restraints used on the ankles of a person to allow walking only with a restricted stride and to prevent running and effective physical resistance. Frequently used alternative terms are leg cuffs, (leg/ankle) shackles, foo ...
because police said he was acting irate. Gray's shackling was recorded on a cellphone, which exhibited a motionless Gray surrounded by several officers as he was restrained. A later stop, recorded by a private security camera, shows the van stopped at a grocery store. At 8:59 am, a second prisoner was placed in the vehicle while officers checked on Gray's condition. At 9:24 am, the transport van arrived at its final stop, the West District police station. After paramedics treated Gray for 21 minutes, he was taken to the
University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the Univ ...
's
R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center (also referred to as Shock Trauma) is a Physical trauma, trauma hospital in Baltimore, Maryland and is part of the University of Maryland Medical System. Shock Trauma was founded by R Adams Cowley, considered th ...
at 9:45 am in a coma. The media has suggested the possibility of a rough ride—a form of
police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...
where a handcuffed prisoner is placed without a seatbelt in an erratically driven vehicle—as a contributing factor in Gray's injury. During Officer Goodson's trial, a prosecution witness testified that he "could not say" if there had been a rough ride, and the judge ruled that the prosecution had not presented evidence to back that assumption. Moreover, and as noted by the BBC in December 2015, "Throughout the trial, the prosecution insisted that Mr Porter could have saved Gray's life by restraining him and by calling for medical help after his injury. They described the police van as a coffin on wheels." Subsequently, in June 2016, the ''Baltimore Sun'' noted that Dr. Carol Allan, an assistant medical examiner, "testified that Gray's ''fatal'' neck injuries, resembling those suffered in a diving accident, were caused by abrupt force to his neck during his transport, when he could not see outside the van to predict sudden stops, starts or turns." The department's seatbelt policy had been revised six days prior to Gray's arrest, in an attempt to protect detained individuals from serious injuries during transport. The policy was not followed in Gray's case. According to attorney Michael Davey, who represents at least one of the officers under investigation, the new rules were criticized by some. He explained that in certain situations, like when a prisoner is combative, "It is not always possible or safe for officers to enter the rear of those transport vans that are very small, and this one was very small." In the following week, according to the Gray family attorney, Gray suffered from total
cardiopulmonary arrest Cardiac arrest (also known as sudden cardiac arrest ''SCA is when the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating. When the heart stops beating, blood cannot properly circulate around the body and the blood flow to the brain and other org ...
at least once but was resuscitated without ever regaining consciousness. He remained in a coma, and underwent extensive surgery in an effort to save his life. According to his family, he lapsed into a coma with three fractured vertebrae, injuries to his voice box, and his spine 80% severed at his neck. Police confirmed that the spinal injury led to Gray's death. Gray died on April 19, 2015, a week after his arrest.


Aftermath


Investigation

The
Baltimore Police Department The Baltimore Police Department (BPD) is the municipal police department of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. Dating back to 1784, the BPD, consisting of 2,935 employees in 2020, is organized into nine districts covering of land and of waterw ...
suspended six officers with pay pending an investigation of Gray's death. The six officers involved in the arrest were identified as Lieutenant Brian Rice, Sergeant Alicia White, Officer William Porter, Officer Garrett Miller, Officer Edward Nero, and Officer Caesar Goodson. On April 24, 2015, Police Commissioner Anthony Batts said, "We know our police employees failed to get him medical attention in a timely manner multiple times." Batts also acknowledged police did not follow procedure when they failed to buckle Gray in the van while he was being transported to the police station. The
U.S. Department of Justice The United States Department of Justice (DOJ), also known as the Justice Department, is a federal executive department of the U.S. government that oversees the domestic enforcement of federal laws and the administration of justice. It is equi ...
also opened an investigation into the case. On April 30, 2015, Kevin Moore, one of the witnesses who filmed Gray's arrest, was arrested at gunpoint following what Moore described as "harassment and intimidation" by police. Moore stated he had cooperated with police, and gave over his video of Gray's arrest for investigation. He claimed, despite aiding in the investigation, his photo was made public by police, who asked the public to identify him because he was "wanted for questioning". Moore said the police obviously knew who he was when they posted his photo. Moore was released from custody the next day, but two other individuals who were arrested along with Moore remained in custody. The same day as Moore's arrest, medical examiners reported Gray sustained more injuries as a result of slamming into the inside of the transport van, "apparently breaking his neck; a head injury he sustained matches a bolt in the back of the van". On May 19, 2015, prosecutors asked a judge to place a
gag order A gag order (also known as a gagging order or suppression order) is an order, typically a legal order by a court or government, restricting information or comment from being made public or passed on to any unauthorized third party. The phrase may ...
on attorneys, police, and witnesses of the arrest, arguing that statements by the attorneys of some of the officers charged could prejudice the public. On June 8, 2015, it was announced that a judge had denied the state's attorney's request for a gag order on procedural grounds.


Charges, indictments, and trials

On May 1, 2015, after receiving a medical examiner's report ruling Gray's death a
homicide Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a Volition (psychology), volitional act, or an omission, that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from Accident, accidenta ...
, state prosecutors said that they had probable cause to file criminal charges against the six officers involved. State's attorney
Marilyn Mosby Marilyn Mosby (née James; born January 22, 1980) is a former American politician and lawyer who served as the State's Attorney of Baltimore from 2015 to 2023. She was the youngest state prosecutor for any major city in the United States. Mosby ...
said that the Baltimore police had acted illegally and that "No crime had been committed" (by Freddie Gray). Mosby said that Gray "suffered a critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed, shackled by his feet and unrestrained inside the BPD wagon". Mosby said officers had "failed to establish probable cause for Mr. Gray's arrest, as no crime had been committed", and charged officers with
false imprisonment False imprisonment or unlawful imprisonment occurs when a person intentionally restricts another person's movement within any area without legal authority, justification, or the restrained person's permission. Actual physical restraint is n ...
, because Gray was carrying a
pocket knife A pocketknife (also spelled as pocket knife) is a knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle. They are also known as jackknives, folding knives, EDC knife, or may be referred to as a penknife, though a penknife may also be a specif ...
of legal size, and not the switchblade police claimed he had possessed at the time of his arrest. All six officers were taken into custody and processed at Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center. Three of the officers faced
manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
charges and one faced an additional count of second-degree
depraved-heart murder In United States law, depraved-heart murder, also known as depraved-indifference murder, is a type of murder where an individual acts with a " depraved indifference" to human life and where such acts result in a death, despite that individual not ...
. The murder charge carries a possible penalty of 30 years in prison; the manslaughter and
assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...
offenses carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. All six officers were released from jail after posting bail the same day they were booked. Two officers were released on $250,000 bail and the four others' bail was $350,000. On September 2, 2015, it was decided to hold separate trials for the accused. In December 2015, Baltimore judge Barry Williams declared a mistrial in the trial of Officer Porter after the jury was unable to reach a verdict. In May 2016, Judge Williams found Nero not guilty by means of a bench trial. On June 23, 2016, Officer Goodson was acquitted of all charges by Circuit Judge Barry Williams. In June 2016, law professor
John Banzhaf John Francis Banzhaf III (; born July 2, 1940) is an American public interest lawyer, legal activist, and law professor at the George Washington University Law School. He is the founder of an antismoking advocacy group, Action on Smoking and Hea ...
of George Washington University filed a complaint with the bar against Marilyn Mosby for prosecutorial misconduct. In January 2017, a federal judge allowed a lawsuit by five of the six police officers unsuccessfully charged by Mosby. Mosby was being sued for malicious prosecution, defamation, and invasion of privacy. The
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in case citations, 4th Cir.) is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts: * District of Maryland * ...
blocked the lawsuit on the grounds that Mosby had immunity from such charges in May 2018, and the
U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that turn on question ...
denied the officers' appeal in November 2018.


Response to charges

Mayor
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake (born March 17, 1970) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 50th Mayor of Baltimore from 2010 to 2016, the second woman to hold that office. She has also served as secretary of the Democratic Nationa ...
said there was no place in the Baltimore Police department for those police officers who "choose to engage in violence, brutality, ndracism". Gene Ryan, president of the police union, chapter said that despite the tragic situation, "none of the officers involved are responsible for the death of Mr. Gray." President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
said it was vital that the truth be found and supported protests if they were peaceful. In a May 4, 2015, interview on ''
Fox News The Fox News Channel (FNC), commonly known as Fox News, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conservatism in the United States, conservative List of news television channels, news and political commentary Television stati ...
'',
Alan Dershowitz Alan Morton Dershowitz ( ; born September 1, 1938) is an American lawyer and law professor known for his work in U.S. constitutional law, U.S. constitutional and American criminal law, criminal law. From 1964 to 2013, he taught at Harvard Law Sc ...
said that he believes Mosby overcharged the officers in an attempt to satisfy protesters and prevent further disturbances. Former Baltimore Prosecutor Page Croyder penned an op-ed in ''
The Baltimore Sun ''The Baltimore Sun'' is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the U.S. state of Maryland and provides coverage of local, regional, national, and international news. Founded in 1837, the newspaper was owned by Tribune Publi ...
'' where she described Mosby's charges as reflecting "either incompetence or an unethical recklessness". Croyder opined that Mosby circumvented normal procedures "to step into the national limelight", and that she "pandered to the public", creating an expectation of a conviction. A motion for Mosby to recuse herself from the case was filed on behalf of the charged officers, on the alleged basis of personal gain by Mosby and her husband, personal relationships with potential witnesses, and the financial interest of Gray's attorney, who the motion claims is a close friend of Mosby.
CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...
's legal analyst
Jeffrey Toobin Jeffrey Ross Toobin (; born May 21, 1960) is an American lawyer, author, blogger, and legal analyst for CNN. During the Iran–Contra affair, Toobin served as an associate counsel on its investigation at the Department of Justice. He moved from ...
pointed out that he does not see any serious conflict of interest to disqualify Mosby from the case, and that the officers may not have a case with that motion. The lawyers representing the officers filed a motion insisting that the city must pay thousands of dollars in damages for arresting and detaining them—or else they could sue Mosby and the Mayor of Baltimore, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. In an 11-page rebuttal, Chief Deputy State's Attorney Michael Schatzow wrote that Gray was detained "well before the arresting officers knew he possessed a knife" and that the motion was absurdly "bounc ngfrom one ridiculous allegation to another, like a pinball on a machine far past 'TILT. Mosby was ordered to respond to the motion filed by the defense attorneys by June 26, 2015.


Officer William G. Porter

Porter met up with the van after Goodson called dispatchers to ask for an officer to come check on Gray. He was requested twice by Gray for a medic, but did not call for one. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter; second-degree assault; and misconduct in office. Porter posted a 350,000 bail. The grand jury indicted Porter on all charges and added an indictment of reckless endangerment. On December 16, 2015, a mistrial was declared on all charges, after the jury was hung and could not come to a decision. Porter's second trial was scheduled for June 13, 2016. Analysts stated that the Porter's retrial could have caused problems for the other trials, under the presumption that he could not be compelled to testify while there are pending charges against him. After several appeals and reversals, the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled that Porter would be required to testify in the cases against the other officers. Porter's retrial date was originally scheduled for September 6, 2016. On July 27, 2016, all charges against him were dropped.


Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr.

Goodson, the driver of the van, was charged with second-degree
depraved-heart murder In United States law, depraved-heart murder, also known as depraved-indifference murder, is a type of murder where an individual acts with a " depraved indifference" to human life and where such acts result in a death, despite that individual not ...
;
involuntary manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th ce ...
; second-degree
assault In the terminology of law, an assault is the act of causing physical harm or consent, unwanted physical contact to another person, or, in some legal definitions, the threat or attempt to do so. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may ...
; manslaughter by vehicle (
gross negligence Gross negligence is the "lack of slight diligence or care" or "a conscious, voluntary act or omission in reckless disregard of a legal duty and of the consequences to another party." In some jurisdictions a person injured as a result of gross neg ...
); manslaughter by vehicle (
criminal negligence In criminal law, criminal negligence is an offence that involves a breach of an objective standard of behaviour expected of a defendant. It may be contrasted with strictly liable offences, which do not consider states of mind in determining c ...
); and
misconduct Misconduct is wrongful, improper, or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one's acts. It is an act which is forbidden or a failure to do that which is required. Misc ...
in office. He posted a 350,000 bail. The grand jury indicted Goodson on all charges and added an indictment of reckless endangerment. Goodson was found not guilty on all charges by Circuit Judge Barry Williams on June 23, 2016.


Officers Garrett E. Miller and Edward M. Nero

Miller and Nero were the officers who caught Gray after he fled, and, after apprehending him, handcuffed Gray with his arms behind his back. Miller was charged with two counts of second-degree assault; two counts of misconduct in office; and false imprisonment. Nero was charged with two counts of second-degree assault; misconduct in office; and false imprisonment. Each posted a 250,000 bail. The false imprisonment charges were dropped by the grand jury, but an indictment of reckless endangerment was added. Judge Williams found Nero not guilty of all charges on May 23, 2016. Miller's trial date was set for July 27, 2016. At his pretrial hearing on July 27, 2016, however, all charges against Miller, Porter and White were dropped.


Lt. Brian W. Rice

Rice was the officer who initially made eye contact with Gray while on a bicycle patrol. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter; two counts of second-degree assault; manslaughter by vehicle (gross negligence); two counts of misconduct in office; and false imprisonment. He posted a 350,000 bail. The false imprisonment charges were dropped by the grand jury, which added an indictment of reckless endangerment. Judge Williams dropped one of the assault charges after the prosecution rested, ruling there was not enough evidence to prove second-degree assault. Rice's trial began July 7, 2016. He was found not guilty on all counts by Judge Barry Williams on July 18, 2016.


Sgt. Alicia D. White (promoted in 2024 to the rank of Captain)

Source: White was accused of not calling for medical assistance when she encountered Gray, "despite the fact she was advised that he needed a medic". She was charged with involuntary manslaughter; second-degree assault; and misconduct. She posted a 350,000 bail. The grand jury indicted White on all charges and added an indictment of reckless endangerment. White's trial date was originally set for October 13, 2016. On July 27, 2016, all charges against her were dropped. In February 2024, Baltimore Police officer Alicia White was promoted to the rank of Captain, assigned to oversee the Baltimore Police Public Integrity Bureau (PIB), the department responsible for investigating allegations of wrongdoing by police officers and civilian employees.


Federal investigations

Attorney General
Loretta Lynch Loretta Elizabeth Lynch (born May 21, 1959) is an American attorney who served as the 83rd attorney general of the United States from 2015 to 2017. She was appointed by President Barack Obama to succeed Eric Holder and previously served as the ...
announced on , 2015, that the
Department of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice, is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a ...
would conduct a review of the current practices of Baltimore Police Department on account of the "serious erosion of public trust" in relation to the circumstances of Gray's death. The review took effect immediately, and focused on allegations that Baltimore police officers use excessive force, including deadly force, conduct unlawful searches, seizures or arrests, and engage in discriminatory policing. , Federal authorities were conducting three probes into Baltimore police, the "pattern of practice" investigation initiated by Lynch, a collaborative review that began in the fall of 2014, and a
civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' political freedom, freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and ...
probe into the death of Gray. On September 12, 2017, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would not bring federal charges against the six Baltimore police officers involved in the arrest, and in-custody death of Freddie Gray.


Internal disciplinary board investigations

Non-criminal, internal disciplinary trials for the officers were prosecuted by a three person-panel chaired by a representative from another Maryland police agency, and outside lawyer, and former chair of the
Baltimore City School Board Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS), also referred to as Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) or City Schools, is a public school district in the city of Baltimore, state of Maryland, United States. It serves the youth of Baltimore Ci ...
Neil Dukel. Of the six officers, Porter did not face internal discipline after investigation by the two county police agencies. Both Nero and Miller pled guilty, accepted departmental discipline and went back at work. Cleared by trial boards were Rice and Goodson. Last, according to police spokesman T.J. Smith, White "would face no further administrative actions".


Public response

Public reaction to the death has drawn further parallels to the response to the 2014
shooting of Michael Brown On August 9, 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot and killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Brown was accompanied by his 22-year-old male friend Dorian Johnson. Wilson, a white male Fergu ...
, as part of a larger string of controversial uses of force by police officers in the United States against African Americans. , 22 demonstrations had been held nationwide in direct response to Gray's death or in solidarity with Baltimore. Additionally, the
Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter (BLM) is a Decentralization, decentralized political and social movement that aims to highlight racism, discrimination and Racial inequality in the United States, racial inequality experienced by black people, and to pro ...
movement has protested Gray's death. On April 18, 2015, hundreds of people participated in a protest outside the Baltimore Police Department. Three days later, on April 21, 2015, according to
Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...
, " ndreds of demonstrators gathered in Baltimore", protesting Gray's death. The next day, Gene Ryan, the president of the local lodge of the
Fraternal Order of Police The National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is a fraternal organization consisting of sworn law enforcement officers in the United States. It reports a membership of over 355,000 members organized in 2,100 local chapters (lodges), state lodge ...
, expressed sympathy for the Gray family, but criticized the "rhetoric of protests" and suggested that "the images seen on television look and sound much like a lynch mob". William Murphy, attorney for the Gray family, demanded an "immediate apology and a retraction". Ryan defended his statement two days later, while admitting that the wording was poor. Charles M. Blow of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'', reminded of a column he wrote several years ago, said that comparing protests to lynch mobs was too extreme because it inflames racial tensions by belittling the significance of the history of
lynching in the United States Lynching was the widespread occurrence of extrajudicial killings which began in the United States' Antebellum South, pre–Civil War South in the 1830s, slowed during the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, and continued until L ...
. On April 25, 2015, protests were organized in downtown Baltimore, and the protests turned violent as protesters threw rocks and set fires. Many protesters were angered students who had been removed from their primary mode of transportation (city buses) and told to disperse from the city. Tension between the riot police and students grew as time passed, eventually leading to bottles and bricks thrown in protest of the large police presence of a so far peaceful protest of Gray's death At least 34 people were arrested, and 15 officers were injured. On April 27, rioting and looting began after the funeral of Gray, with two patrol cars destroyed and 15 officers reported injured. Protesters looted and burned down a
CVS Pharmacy #REDIRECT CVS Pharmacy {{R from other capitalisation Company now has a new name to go along with it's anti-tobacco changes. New name is CVS Health ...
location in downtown Baltimore. In reaction to the unrest, the
Maryland State Police The Maryland State Police (MSP), officially the Maryland Department of State Police (MDSP), is the official state police force of the U.S. state of Maryland. The Maryland State Police is headquartered at 1201 Reisterstown Road in the Pikesville, ...
sent 82 troopers to protect the city. A
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) game between the visiting
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
and host
Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...
scheduled for the evening was postponed due to the unrest. The next game commenced as scheduled but, as a precautionary measure, the match was played
behind closed doors Behind Closed Doors may refer to: Film, television and radio Film * ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1929 film), an early talkie starring Virginia Valli * Behind Closed Doors (1961 film), ''Behind Closed Doors'' (1961 film), an Italian comedy film by Dino ...
, becoming the first crowdless game in MLB history. The next series against the
Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...
was moved to
St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...
. Maryland Governor
Larry Hogan Lawrence Joseph Hogan Jr. (born May 25, 1956) is an American politician who served as the 62nd governor of Maryland from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party and son of three-term U.S. representative Lawrence Hogan, he served as co-ch ...
declared a
state of emergency A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
, and activated the
Maryland National Guard The Maryland Military Department (MMD) is a department of the State of Maryland directed by the adjutant general of Maryland. The Maryland Military Department consists of the: *State Operations section, which manages fiscal and administrative ...
. Hogan also activated 500 state troopers for duty in Baltimore and requested an additional 5,000 police officers from other locales. At a press conference, Baltimore's mayor announced there would be a citywide curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 am. School trips were canceled until mid-May, and Baltimore's city schools were closed on April 28. In addition, both the University of Maryland campus in downtown Baltimore and the Mondawmin Mall were closed early. Protests also took place in other U.S. cities. In
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, 143 people at Union Square were arrested on April 29, 2015, for blocking traffic and refusing to relocate. On the same day, outside the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
in
Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, nearly 500 protesters converged without an incident. In
Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
, eleven people were arrested as protesters were involved in physical altercations with officers. Other protests in response to Gray's death took place in cities including
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
,
Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...
,
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
,
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
,
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: *Portland, Oregon, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon *Portland, Maine, the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine *Isle of Portland, a tied island in the English Channel Portland may also r ...
, and
Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...
. On May 3, 2015, the National Guard began withdrawing from Baltimore, and the night curfew on the city was lifted. The demobilizing process lasted three days, during which time the state of emergency remained in effect.


Spike in Baltimore homicides

In May 2015, there were 43 homicides in Baltimore, making it the deadliest month in 40 years behind August 1972 (45 homicides) and December 1971 (44 homicides). The monthly homicide rate fell to 29 in June 2015 but in July 2015, 45 murders were recorded, tying with the record in 1972. Lt. Gene Ryan, president of Baltimore Fraternal Order of Police, said this was partly due to an increase of confidence among criminals in Baltimore. Then-police commissioner, Anthony Batts, blamed drugs looted from pharmacies during the riots for the spike in crime. The 2015 homicide total as of July 31 was 189 compared to 119 by the end of July 2014. On August 3, in an attempt to solve the cases, Baltimore announced the Baltimore Federal Homicide Task Force. It was a partnership of the Baltimore police and five federal crime-fighting agencies. The agencies would each embed two agents with the Baltimore police to help investigate. On July 8, 2015, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake fired Police Commissioner Anthony Batts, saying that his response to the death of Gray had become a distraction, while the police failed to prevent the spike in homicides. Baltimore ended the year with 344 homicides, the second-highest total behind 1993, when 353 murders occurred. It was also the first time since 1999 that the city recorded at least 300 homicides within a calendar year.


Settlement

On September 8, 2015, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake announced that the city had reached a $6.4 million settlement with Gray's family. Rawlings-Blake said the settlement "should not be interpreted as a judgment on the guilt or innocence of the officers facing trial", but had been negotiated to avoid "costly and protracted litigation that would only make it more difficult for our city to heal". The city offered a settlement before they were sued.


In popular culture

The death of Gray has been the subject of several songs.
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
recorded a song called "Baltimore" for his 2015 album ''
Hit n Run Phase Two ''Hit n Run Phase Two'' is the thirty-ninth studio album by American musician Prince and the last to be released within his lifetime. It was initially released exclusively on the Tidal streaming service on December 12, 2015, for streaming and pu ...
''. The music video featured scenes from protests in response to Gray's death. In May 2015, Salomon Faye released "Black Power", a music video on
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
that shows rallies in the aftermath of Gray's death.
Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson ( ; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, rapper and actress. She has received ten Grammy Award nominations, and is the recipient of a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Children's and Family Emmy Award. ...
and Wondaland released "
Hell You Talmbout "Hell You Talmbout"The word "talmbout" is a Contraction (grammar), contraction of "talking about". is a 2015 protest song by Janelle Monáe and the members of her Wondaland artist collective, including Deep Cotton, George 2.0, Jidenna, Roman G ...
" in 2015 and said the names of those killed by the police, including Freddie Gray.
Dru Hill Dru Hill is an American R&B boy band, whose repertoire included soul, hip hop soul and gospel music. The group was founded in Baltimore in 1992 by Tamir "Nokio the N-Tity" Ruffin, and as of 2023, is still active. Dru Hill recorded seven top 40 ...
dedicated their 2016 song "Change" to Gray. In 2016,
Kevin Devine Kevin Devine (born December 19, 1979) is an American songwriter and musician from Staten Island, New York City, who is associated with acts such as Brand New, Manchester Orchestra, and The Front Bottoms. He is a contemporary member of the u ...
released a song called "Freddie Gray Blues" on his ninth studio album ''Instigator'' He then went on to release an acoustic version of the song in his 2017 album ''We Are Who We've Always Been''. The
avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...
rock Baltimorean band
Horse Lords Horse Lords are an American avant-garde rock band from Baltimore. The members are Andrew Bernstein (saxophone/percussion), Max Eilbacher (bass/electronics), Owen Gardner (guitar), and Sam Haberman (drums). Their first album was released in 201 ...
close their 2016 album, ''Interventions'', with the track "Never Ended", which is built on samples from protests in response to Gray's death. In 2016,
Kevin Morby Kevin Robert Morby (born 2 April 1988) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter. A former member of Woods (band), Woods and The Babies, Morby has released seven solo studio albums: ''Harlem River (album), Harlem River'' (2013), ''Still Li ...
released "Beautiful Strangers", which addressed issues plaguing the world: gun violence, the death of Freddie Gray, and terrorist attacks in
Orlando Orlando commonly refers to: * Orlando, Florida, a city in the United States Orlando may also refer to: People * Orlando (given name), a masculine name, includes a list of people with the name * Orlando (surname), includes a list of people wit ...
and
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. In 2017, jazz pianist Lafayette Gilchrist released a song called "Blues For Freddie Gray" on his ''New Urban World Blues'' record. Later the same year, singer-songwriter Eliot Bronson released "Rough Ride", a song about Gray. In May 2018, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks released a song entitled "Bike Lane" on their '' Sparkle Hard'' album. The song references the Freddie Gray case. In 2017,
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
produced ''
Baltimore Rising ''Baltimore Rising'' is a 2017 documentary on the protests in Baltimore after the death of Freddie Gray. It was created, directed, and produced by actor and filmmaker Sonja Sohn and HBO Films. It covers the death of Freddie Gray, the protests ...
'', a documentary about Gray's death and the subsequent protests. Directed by
Sonja Sohn Sonja Denise Plack (' Williams), known professionally as Sonja Sohn, (born May 9, 1964) is an American actress, filmmaker, and activist, best known for portraying Baltimore detective Kima Greggs in the HBO drama ''The Wire'' (2002–2008). Sh ...
, it charts the impact of the incident on the people of Baltimore. In March 2017, the ''
Undisclosed Undisclosed may refer to: * ''Undisclosed'' (podcast), a 2015–2022 American podcast about wrongful convictions * "Undisclosed Desires "Undisclosed Desires" (also known as "Undisclosed") is a song by English rock band Muse. It was release ...
'' podcast launched a 16-part series entitled "The Killing of Freddie Gray" in which it reviewed the evidence, political atmosphere and circumstances around the death of Freddie Gray. Gray's death and subsequent protest are featured in ''
We Own This City ''We Own This City'' is an American crime drama television miniseries based on the nonfiction book of the same name by ''Baltimore Sun'' reporter Justin Fenton. The miniseries was developed by George Pelecanos and David Simon and directed by R ...
'', a six-hour long mini-series which premiered on
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
on April 25, 2022, that focuses on corruption within a Baltimore police task force. It is based on the book ''We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops and Corruption'' by Justin Fenton. Footage from the protests that followed Gray's killing is included in a 2025 music video for "'Baltimore' (In Four Movements)" by Dr. Samuel Waymon. Taya Graham and Stephen Janis created a 2025 documentary about the killing and subsequent movement called "Freddie Gray: A Decade of Struggle" through
The Real News Network The Real News Network (TRNN) is a news organization based in Baltimore, Maryland, that covers both national and international news. It includes both for-profit arm and non-profit organizations. History TRNN was founded by documentary producer ...
.


See also

*
List of unarmed African Americans killed by law enforcement officers in the United States This is a list of African Americans reportedly killed while unarmed by non-military Law enforcement in the United States, law enforcement officers in the United States. Events are listed whether they took place in the line of duty or not, and re ...
* List of killings by law enforcement officers in the United States, April 2015 *
Police brutality in the United States Police brutality is the use of excessive or unwarranted force by law enforcement, resulting in physical or psychological harm to a person. It includes beatings, killing, intimidation tactics, racist abuse, and/or torture. Police brutality, rac ...
* Running while black * Death of Tyrone West (2013) *
Death of Sandra Bland Sandra Annette Bland was a 28-year-old African-American woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, on , 2015, three days after being arrested during a traffic stop. Officials found her death to be a suicide. There were pro ...
(2015) * Killing of Jeremy McDole (2015) * Killing of Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr. (2018) *
George Floyd protests The George Floyd protests were a series of protests, riots, and demonstrations against police brutality that began in Minneapolis in the United States on May 26, 2020. The protests and civil unrest began in Minneapolis as Reactions to the mu ...
(2020)


References


Further reading

*


External links


Transcript of Marilyn J. Mosby's statement on Freddie Gray
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gray, Freddie 2015 in Maryland 2015 controversies in the United States 2010s in Baltimore African-American history in Baltimore African-American-related controversies April 2015 in the United States Law enforcement controversies in the United States Black Lives Matter Baltimore Police Department Civil rights protests in the United States Criminal trials that ended in acquittal Deaths by person in Maryland Race and crime in the United States Police brutality in the United States Riots and civil disorder in Baltimore Deaths in police custody in the United States