Posted on 04/28/2015 7:53:47 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Freddie Gray, who died a week after suffering injuries while in Baltimore police custody, had a lengthy criminal record, mainly for drug-related offenses, according to state court records. Police claim he was “involved in criminal activity,” prior to his arrest.
Gray, 25, died after spending seven days in a coma as a result of injuries he suffered while in the custody of city police, the Baltimore Sun reports.
He was arrested April 12 by four officers outside a public housing complex. Police said four bicycle officers tried to stop Gray for an unspecified reason and he ran from them. They caught him and detained him while waiting for backup.
It’s not yet known how Gray died. His death has sparked unrest in the city, including protests that turned violent.
A friend told the Baltimore Sun that Gray may have ran from the officers because, “he had a history with that police beating him.”
Freddie Gray Arrest Record
Gray had a lengthy arrest record with convictions dating back until at least 2007, according to the Maryland Department of Justice. Not all of the arrests led to convictions, in many of the cases he pleaded guilty to one charge while the others were dropped. Details of when he spent time in prison were not immediately available. His arrest record includes at least 18 arrests:
•March 20, 2015: Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance
•March 13, 2015: Malicious destruction of property, second-degree assault
•January 20, 2015: Fourth-degree burglary, trespassing
•January 14, 2015: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute
•December 31, 2014: Possession of narcotics with intent to distribute
•December 14, 2014: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance
•August 31, 2014: Illegal gambling, trespassing
•January 25, 2014: Possession of marijuana
•September 28, 2013: Distribution of narcotics, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, second-degree assault, second-degree escape
•April 13, 2012: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, violation of probation
•July 16, 2008: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with intent to distribute
•March 28, 2008: Unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance
•March 14, 2008: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to manufacture and distribute
•February 11, 2008: Unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession of a controlled dangerous substance
•August 29, 2007: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, violation of probation
•August 28, 2007: Possession of marijuana
•August 23, 2007: False statement to a peace officer, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance
•July 16, 2007: Possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance (2 counts)
Why Was Freddie Gray Arrested Before His Death?
Details of what led police to try to arrest Gray in April 2015 have not been made public by police. Deputy Police Commissioner Jerry Rodriguez told the Baltimore Sun that details of the arrest remain “a bit vague,” and that the officers patrolling a high-crime area with drug issues believed Gray was “immediately involved or had been recently involved in criminal activity.”
Documents obtained by the Guardian show that he was charged with unlawful possession of a switch blade knife, which was found after he was detained. The documents are not clear about what led to the stop. No other charges are listed.
The Associated Press reports Gray has been in and out of prison on drug convictions since 2008, according to online court records. He was set to start a trial in May on drug charges stemming from a December arrest.
“We had officers in a high-crime area known to have high narcotic incidents,” Rodriguez said, according to the AP. “The officers believe that Mr. Gray was immediately involved or recently involved in criminal activity and decided to make contact.”
Police released a timetable of the events leading up to Gray’s arrest and death. He was seen at about 8:40 a.m. on April 12 on a street northwest of the city’s downtown. The officers approached Gray and he ran. He was caught about two minutes later two blocks away. The officers called for a transport van at about 8:42 p.m. Then, at 8:54 a.m., a block away from where Gray was arrested, the van left for the Western District station “after stopping to place additional restraints on the suspect.” At about 9:24 a.m., an ambulance is called to the Western District station.
As I said his prior record is totally irrelevant to the matter at hand. Apparently you’re in favor of cops killing people extra-judicially. Because that’s what it appears happened here.
If we allow it to happen to low level street trash like this it will eventually happen to you or someone you love.
L
He was probably in jail from late 2008 through early 2012, according to the timeline those are the only times he wasn’t being arrested.
Yawn.
I don’t know if he was the only person in transport.
The police officers' report on the arrest states that “The defendant was arrested without force or incident.”
It doesn’t really matter how long his rap sheet was. Being taken into police custody on accusation of a crime (or for any other reason) is not supposed to impose a death sentence without due process of law.
If black folks (or the citizenry of Baltimore) have concluded as a result that the social contract has been voided and that they exist in a state of nature (see Hobbes on what the state of nature is like) vis-a-vis the rest of society, I cannot fault them all that much for their actions.
On the the other hand, neither can I fault shop-owners for shooting looters, any action of self-defense taken against them, or a heavy-handed police and National Guard response to rioting and looting. If it’s going to be the war of all against all, everyone else gets to fight back with all means available.
Maybe he should be in jail. He is not in jail, however, because he is DEAD. Why is he dead?
Model citizen destined for greatness . . . oh whoops!
Known drug dealer. They are always nice guys.
Assault. Burglary.
Carrying a switchblade.
He was probably on his way to choir practice. He was running because he was late.
The guy has a criminal record a mile long, but we are supposed to give him the benefit of the doubt?
But the police are automatically assumed to have murdered him?
Holy cow. Someone should have given him bus fare and $200 to move to colorado
I don’t know and neither do you.
Hey, hey
Love, love
Yeah, yeah
Ah, ha
Freddie’s dead
That’s what I said
Let the rap a plan
Said he’d see him home
But his hope was a rope
And he should’ve known
It’s hard to understand
That there’s love in this man
I’m sure all would agree
That his misery was his
Woman and things
Now Freddie’s dead
That’s what I said
Everybody’s misused him
Ripped him up and abused him
Another junkie plan
Pushin’ dope for the man
A terrible blow
But that’s how it goes
A Freddie’s on the corner now
If you wanna be a junkie, wow
Remember Freddie’s dead
We’re all built up with progress
But sometimes I must confess
We can deal with rockets and dreams
But reality, what does it mean
Ain’t nothing said
‘Cause Freddies dead
Hey, hey
Love, love
Hey, hey
Yeah, yeah
Ha, ha
Love, love
Yeah, yeah
Ha, ha
Yeah, yeah
Freddie’s dead
All I want is some peace of mind
With a little love I’m trying to find
This could be such a beautiful world
With a wonderful girl
Why I need a woman child
Don’t wanna be like freddie now
‘Cause Freddie’s dead
Hey, hey
Yeah, yeah
If you don’t try
You’re gonna die
Why can’t we brothers
Protect one another
No one’s serious
And it makes me furious
Don’t be misled
Just think of Fred
Everybody’s misused him
Ripped him up and abused him
Another junkie plan
Pushin’ dope for the man
A freddies on the corner now
If you wanna be a junkie, why
Remember Freddie’s dead
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
Freddie’s dead
Hey, hey
Ha, ha
Love, love
Ha, ha...
“Was this guy the only one in the back of the police van or were there other’s with him who had been arrested?”
We are going to need to see your papers, Question Man.
There is a difference between accidental and intentional homicide. I have no idea what actually happened here, but saying they imposed a death sentence implies they intentionally killed him.
If he was in prison, like he should have been, he’d be alive today.
What was he arrested for when they killed him?
Agreed nobody does (including the protesters and rioters) until we hear testimony. I will admit it doesn't look good but lets see if there is a logical reasonable explanation and if not then convict the officers that did wrong.
It would be interesting to see how much time he actually spent behind bars, and for which offenses. Having worked in Corrections for 25 years, I could never get over how many arrests these guys had under their belt, and how many breaks they were given by the courts. The one thing I learned is that most of them never did the time for the actual crimes they committed because they usually plead down to a lesser charge.
This is exactly what we don’t know. The natives needed a reason to get free stuff, and facts be damned. It’s hands up, don’t shoot, all over again. We need details to determine what happened, and if the police caused his death, then they should be charged. However, common sense tells us to wait for facts. Hmmm, guess the media missed that memo.
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