Mystery of Freddie Gray's spinal cord injury may be linked to infamous "nickel ride".

[dixiegrrrrl]

For decades, cops abused criminal suspects by throwing them - handcuffed but unsecured - into the open back of a police van, then careening around sharp curves or slamming the brakes during a rough ride to central booking.

Snip:
Two weeks ago, when Gray was arrested on a Baltimore street, for reasons that remain murky, he was handcuffed and - as captured on a cellphone video - dragged and tossed into the back of the van. Inside, it was later reported, he was shackled after officers reported that Gray became "irate." However, he was not buckled in for the ride - a serious breach of regulations.

Snip:
Incredibly, this has happened multiple times in Baltimore - including a "rough ride" 10 years ago that injured the spine and killed an arrestee named Dondi Johnson - as well as several multi-million-dollar civil judgments and settlements.

Snip:
Ditto in Philadelphia. In 2001, the Inquirer documented 20 cases of arrestees who were injured during apparent "nickel rides" that critics said provided cops a "hands-free" method to dole out street justice - including three who suffered spinal cord injuries, two of them permanently paralyzed.

http://tinyurl.com/qzhqhgm

I hope the family has a sharp lawyer who can find out about this history.

[yeoman6987]

1. Damn Consetvatives are claiming that he already had a bad back

I said so breaking it was ok? They are so gross.

[frylock]

7. yeah, that shit about him having back surgery is all over Facebook..

undoubtedly posted by the same shit-for-brain assholes that posted photos of poor Officer Darren Williams in a hospital bed with a broken orbital socket.

[Diclotican]

19. yeoman6987

yeoman6987

I had that conservation with some operatives on facebook, of all places - where they claimed he had a bad back - and had a surgery 2 weeks ago - and that was the reason he was killed... When I pressured them - and stated how a spinal cord could be ripped of 80 percent from its head - I was given a few expletive words who is far from polite... They even made some jokes about the fact I do not live in the US, but in Norway - but thats in on their credit sheets...

Conservatives - or at least the ones who look at the world from the perspective of neo-conservatism, and from the view of Fox-News are indeed rather gross - and evil if you ask me - not much humanity and dignity in their camps anymore...

Diclotican

[yeoman6987]

26. Oh my God

I used to think Republicans just disagreed with us, but now I firmly believe they are nasty and pure evil.

[Diclotican]

27. yeoman6987

yeoman6987

It sure look that way - dam I'm glad I'm not living in a area where I have to encounter some of them - because then I would have had another heart attack before long... Or got ballistic of anger before the end of the mount... At least some of Republicans is just evil and nasty - and then some words I do not use, out of courtesy for politeness...

But then again - I suspect many conservatives - not all, but many of them are at the same league - nasty, arrogant - know it all - even if you show how wrong they are to their face - and if you point out the facts, as I did to a former friend of me, who is conservative - but rather arrogant of the world - and have never had to much interesting inquiring knowledge if it was not already sound bites easy to eat... I doubt he was that educated either - and he had some ideals and ideas about the world - who was less than favorable to be honest... I'm not sure why we was getting along as friends back in the days - but anyway - after he acted out last time (not the first time around - but surly the last one for me) he have been trying to reinvent himself as a hardworking person - who earn a lot of money - even if he live back home with his parents - and have two kids and a girlfriend living 600 km from where he currently live - and I doubt have any interest what so ever in moving out of the home - and is rather satisfied with the fact his family is living 600 km away from him.. Even if he for the last decade or so - have been living on welfare - and have used it as best he could - to get so much out of it as human possible - before the unemployment office finally deiced enough was enough... Or it could be the fact his two kids was starting wondering why he was not working as others parents did... I think that was one reason for him to get to a job in the end... And before he and I kind of broke that friendship - after a rather insane argument from his point of view - he was banting me in a not to friendly way about why I live on disability and why I was not returning to work - even though HE know rather well why I'm om disability - it is not because I found it fun.... And at least - I have always paid my share of the tax burden - even of a small disability...



Diclotican

[NYC_SKP]

2. Recommended. With tears.

[global1]

3. Ya Think?.....

I heard Freddie's ride to the police station took 40 minutes. Hmmmmm.......

And why is this investigation taking so long? There were 6 cops that they had to interview in order to put the scenario together.

This is what makes the People suspicious and gets them questioning if the police are trying to fabricate a story/alibi.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. One advantage of investigation taking so long:

"Because the investigation didn't start for several days, they also missed opportunities to gather crucial evidence, like a surveillance tape from a store that was taped over."
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/04/the-rough-ride-and-police-culture/391538/

[AtomicKitten]

4. Goddamnit.

[geek tragedy]

5. felony murder. federal civil rights violation.

they've been doing this shit for decades, and no cops have gotten in trouble for it

[Sunlei]

8. was only a couple blocks to the station. also read they have store video shows him out of the van

for some reason.

Anyone know a timeline, how long was Mr. Gray in the van and at the police station?

The 911 call to paramedics for 'unconscious man' at the booking jail was at 9:33. paramedics had Mr. Gray to the trauma center by 10.

[dixiegrrrrl]

21. Most accounts say he was in van 40-45 minutes.

and that officers stopped twice to enter the van and put him in leg restraints, but did not follow policy and put him in seatbelt.

The 3rd time they stopped they called ambulance.

That is what I read today, anyhow.

[Cryptoad]

9. its called the "Baltmore Garrote"

[Duppers]

10. Recommended

[nc4bo]

11. saw a clearer, different angle video this evening

On facebook and Mr. Gray's legs appeared to be dragging.

Didn't know how to save a facebook video link but if I run across it again, I'll post it.

[nc4bo]

12. Found it. Witness says his legs were basically "inoperative" before van ride.

http://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2015/04/21/exp-erin-dnt-marquez-baltimore-freedie-gray-death-witness.cnn

Gonna leave this one to DUers with sharper eyes and knowledge than I to try and explain this.

[uponit7771]

15. He was standing up on the bumper, these guys have been sued before over this shit...

... they're some fuckin bastards wearing badges out there

[nc4bo]

16. digusting. And people ask why run when you've done nothing wrong? nt.

[sub.theory]

24. Video seemed to show that

I remember on the video it did look like his legs were limp while he was being dragged to the van.

[uponit7771]

14. "- including three who suffered spinal cord injuries, two of them permanently paralyzed..."

So yeah, this has happened before

[libodem]

17. Gray looked hurt to me

As they walked him up to the van. It makes sick to think they injured him first and then tortured him because he was already crying out in pain.

Ruthless. Is this what happens when the mercenaries come home? Is this our national punishment for Iraq?

Goddess, spare us another fucking Bush in the White House.

[benld74]

18. I had figured he got a rough ride as soon as the injury was disclosed

[sulphurdunn]

20. From the video

it would seem that Mr. Gray should have transported to a hospital in an ambulance rather to the police station in a paddy wagon to begin with.

[awoke_in_2003]

28. With the way they had to carry him to the van

I think his back was broken on the sidewalk before they put him in the van. Cops love to do that knee in the back of the neck thing- it wouldn't take a whole lot to snap it that way. The contact with the sidewalk would explain the crushed larynx.

[AuntPatsy]

22. I cannot see them getting away with this horrific and sadistic crime

[alcibiades_mystery]

23. Maryland doesn't consider planned assault a prereq for felony murder

Lucky police, because this is definitely murder in commission of a second felony, to wit, a first degree aggravated assault, and that under the color of law.

The Feds should be all over this, especially after the ridiculous statements by the police chief.

It is instructive, though. You rob a store and get chased by cops and one of them dies in a car wreck, you're going in for felony murder, almost certainly. Cops randomly break your spine and kill you during a planned retribution assault, tra la la.

[riderinthestorm]

25. He looked hurt already getting dragged into the van

and then that ride...



Just despicable cop killers.