A mere policy violation?
A policy to stop the injuries of people becoming cripples and dead from having their hands cuffed behind them inside of a slick, empty, metal van by cops, and then the cops keep doing it?
When cops earn a reputation for “nickel rides” and then ignore the fix, then there is a problem.
“At least five other people or their families have alleged they were harmed in the back of a police van since 1997, with several winning judgments or settling with police. Three were paralyzed by the ride, according to a recent review by The Baltimore Sun.
In one case, a 43-year-old plumber arrested for public urination was handcuffed and put in a van in good health but emerged a quadriplegic. He told his doctor he was not buckled into his seat and after a sharp turn he was “violently thrown around the back of the vehicle as [police officers] drove in an aggressive fashion,” according to a lawsuit.
The man died two weeks later of pneumonia caused by his paralysis, and his family initially won a $7.4 million award after a jury agreed three officers were negligent. It was reduced to $219,000 by Maryland’s Court of Special Appeals because state law caps such payouts.”
“It is police policy that all arrestees must be buckled in during transport. The policy, updated just nine days before Freddie Gray was injured, states “all passengers, regardless of age and location, shall be restrained by seat belts or other authorized restraining devices.””
Jail busses do not have seat belts.
5 people injured in the back of a police van in 18 years ? Not a bad record considering how many rides. But yes they should seat belt them as they should seat belt children in school buses and people riding metro buses.
You seem to agree and that was the point. There were possible policy and safety violations.
But where is all the blatant police brutality here?
Looking back at what occurred the last week, I saw thousands outraged over alleged violent police brutality towards people of color.
I saw black leaders, the Mayor, the President of the United States and others publicly say, imply or suggest the police are racist against blacks, while others are demanding police brutality against blacks must stop.
People were holding up signs, screaming, chanting racism still exists in America and they’re not going to take it anymore.
Death threats were made, people were beaten, building burned, looted etc. All this because of policy violations?
Then we find half the 6 suspects are black and evidence of intentional violent police racism against Mr. Gray is no where to be found. Or has yet to even be revealed.