Freddie Gray died after 'medical emergency' inside Baltimore police van

[IDemo]

Source: The Guardian

A man who died with a broken neck following his arrest in Baltimore “suffered a medical emergency” inside a police van after being detained without a notable struggle, according to court documents.

Freddie Gray was “arrested without force or incident” after a knife was found in one of his pockets and only required hospitalisation due to something that happened while he was being transported in a wagon to a nearby police station, according to an account by officer G Miller.

Gray, 25, died on Sunday, a week after being chased and arrested by four officers. His family said he lapsed into a coma after suffering three broken vertebrae and an injured voice box. A criminal inquiry into his death has been opened by Baltimore authorities.

Cellphone video of Gray’s arrest showed him being dragged into the police van by officers. While he was shouting in apparent pain and moving his head, at least one of his legs appeared limp. The video did not show his initial treatment by police.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/apr/20/freddie-gray-medical-emergency-inside-baltimore-police-van

---

Are they seriously trying to posit that this was in some way a self-inflicted injury?

[daleanime]

1. ......

[MrScorpio]

2. Sounds like he was tortured by the police...

I'm assuming while he was cuffed and defenseless.

The police in this country are all out of control.

[rhett o rick]

3. From what we can see in videos, the police training teaches them not to worry

about joint dislocation or broken ribs and my guess this was caused by a knee in the spine with a few pounds applied. The police attitude from what we've seen is that they get to take out their frustrations on suspects bodies. Kicking people in the head, stomach, groin and legs.

We must take action in our communities to let the elected prosecutors know that we won't put up with free passes for cop violence. Elected mayors must also understand that they need to appoint police chiefs that understand who the work for.

[AuntPatsy]

8. When my son was twelve, he was in a class with an officer and others can't recall why

Telling them how to behave, the officer ordered. Him to stand up, he refused but never said another word nor did he in any way attempt to show aggression, he simply ignored the officer, the officer lost it, he then did a head lock on him pulling his arms up, his shoulder became dislocated, they took him to hospital, the officer broke out in tears telling me what happened, I should have done more in standing up for him, do we have to break people?

To this day he has a high tolerance for pain and sadly he met another adult he could not trust , sometimes I blame myself for that memory he still recalls clearly, I was the one who wanted him in there because I felt he was getting out of control...

Believe it or not he doesn't dislike officers any more than he dislikes civilians he feels he cannot trust, it's just become the way he sees the world...

[LiberalArkie]

12. On the up side, there were not any civilian cameras inside the back on the van.

[rhett o rick]

13. I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't put their knee on his spine when he was on the ground

and did the damage. It doesn't take much pressure in the right spot to fracture a spine.

[tishaLA]

18. the story of it happening in the back of the van is even in question

an earlier account was that he had been in custody for 45 minutes before something happened and he had to be taken to the hospital.

[heaven05]

4. a "medical emergency"

created by the police......period. How stupid and gullible they take a logical, thinking, rational person for. This shit is getting really to the point where one must wonder what is going on. That they do not care, how they are perceived as to these executions and murders of unarmed people, is evident. Be damn all, we are the power is how they are acting. America is falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of fascism.

[Psephos]

7. I agree completely. n/t

[bravenak]

5. See how mudering a man is now just a medical emergency?

Yay cops! Love me some coppers!

[mimi85]

6. I read about the incident in the LA Times this morning.

So now we need cameras in ambulances as well. I'm getting beyond tired of this shit! It's like we've gone back 50+years. It literally makes me nauseous!

[riqster]

10. It wasn't an ambulance IIRC.

It was a police vehicle.

[JimDandy]

11. Yep...and they are usually rigged with audio and sound

recording equipment.

[riqster]

24. I am betting on a "malfunction".

[workinclasszero]

9. Another day another cop murder

And a black male victim. Damn

[angrychair]

14. nothing to see here

Stop dwelling on these isolated incidents...that happen weekly...to unarmed citizens...that happen to be people of color.
"These aren't the droids we're looking for...move along...move along"

[DFW]

15. Another week, another Police Murder

How many more before we realize that this is now a national epidemic?

Epidemic, as in disease.

I was talking to a guy last week while in the States. Black man, served in the military, dad a vet, too, college educated, editor of a magazine, 40 ish. This guy has a healthy fear of the police. No record, no run ins, no trouble at all, but he said there was no way he was EVER getting inside a police car. Not due to previous experience, but due to everyone else's.

I don't blame him one bit.

You can't fix a problem until you realize there is one. Well, we have one, and the whole world's watching to see what we do about it.

Up to now, I'd say that is precious little.

[msanthrope]

16. Nearly severing a man's spine is a medical emergency, all right. nt

[csziggy]

17. They arrested him for a knife in his pockets?

According the what I've heard on TV they chased him because he was running.

What kind of bullshit is this? A person who runs is suspicious - or is it only black men who run who are suspicious?

At this point a black man who runs away on sighting cops is just exercising self preservation - he is not acting suspicious, he's just trying to keep from being killed by possibly murderous thugs.

[Vinca]

19. As if a person's spine somehow magically severs itself.

[ManiacJoe]

20. The cellphone video does not present a good picture for the police.

[mercuryblues]

21. when the

fuck did carrying a knife in your pocket become illegal? How did they KNOW he even had a knife when they went after him, if it was in his pocket?

[blkmusclmachine]

22. http://indiecoffee.blog.com/files/2011/07/Brown_shirt-2001.jpg

[Shilo]

23. This is heinous and the fact the officials are insisting it happened in the van

and not prior to that is suspect. His legs are dragging---he looks to be potentially starting with paralysis before he is placed into the van. They did not even consider that possibility which makes more sense as to why he is screaming? Medical examiner better tell the truth. When will his autopsy be released?