Our Challenge To NFL Players Protesting

*FREDDIE GRAY – Died a week later as a result of injuries sustained while in custody of the Baltimore Police Department pursuant to his arrest for possession of an illegal knife. The location where Gray was arrested was oddly enough one that Baltimore City State Attorney Marilyn Mosby has requested the police to provide “enhanced” efforts due to the high crime and drug haven it had become. This is the same Mosby who later filed charges against the six officers involved.

A bystander’s video of the arrest shows Gray screaming and not using his legs as he is led to a police transport van handcuffed, but Gray did step into the high van prisoner entrance on his own. Gray remained in the van for a period of time and made five stops before arriving at the police station. Another prisoner was picked up for one stop and during another, Gray was placed in leg irons because he was reportedly acting irate. (A seat belt was not used on Gray and the BPD had only implemented that guideline six days prior.)

Brandon Marshall 2016

Gray suffered numerous injuries including one to the spinal cord during the transport and fell into a coma. An ambulance was called and dispatched to the precinct and he was then transported to the hospital where he died on April 19, 2015.

Charges were handed down to the six officers involved in the arrest and transport of Gray (and their supervisors) and even with Mosby, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and then-president Barrack Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch making one-sided statements, none of the officers were found guilty at trial and after a near-two-year investigation, the US Department of Justice announced that they would not bring federal charges against the officers.

The only charge that has a chance to stick was filed by the attorneys of the officers against Mosby for malicious prosecution, with the case still pending.

POLICE POINT OF VIEW

Gray’s death was a tragedy and should not have occurred. But that doesn’t mean that the police officers were responsible for it. Placing someone under arrest and into a transport vehicle is not an easy task when the perpetrator is not owning up to his illegal actions and going willingly. So when the video showed Gray’s legs dragging just prior to being placed in the van, it was more than likely done purposely by him as an act of defiance and making it difficult for the arresting officers to get him into the vehicle. Yes, I have seen this countless times during my police career.

The fact that Gray was able to put weight on both legs while stepping into the van without assistance proves that he had use of those appendages at that time. Just what occurred in the van after that – and especially after the stop to put him in leg shackles – is apparently the period of time where he sustained the serious injuries.

Could he have been jostled by the movement of the van? Or perhaps even cause the injuries to himself, which prisoners do very frequently either because they are mad at themselves for getting locked up or in an attempt to claim police brutality.

And what about the seatbelt issue? It was a new change to the procedure and even one of the officer’s lawyers stated that it is not always safe for the officer to enter the prisoner portion of the vehicle to fasten the seat belt, especially one as small as in this situation.

Even with all the odds and politicians stacked against them, the six Baltimore officers were eventually cleared of all the local and federal charges.

Gray – black, Baltimore officers – various races, including black

@JOEL9ONE I would love the opportunity to discuss the #NFLProtest issue with you, more specifically a case-by-case basis between the police & public: https://t.co/6SrWzUZ6yS

— Joe Pietaro (@MuscleSportMag) August 13, 2018