Today, the charges against six officers accused of assaulting and/or killing Freddie Gray were upheld. This case will be heard, and all six officers will have separate trials. I remember when I initially saw the video of Mr. Gray’s arrest. It was horrific. He was dragged to the police van because (it appeared) he was so injured after being handcuffed that he couldn’t even walk. It is undisputed that he was placed into the van without proper restraints (seatbelts). It is argued that his neck broke during the van ride. I think the damage started before he was even placed in the van and the ride just exacerbated it – but of course, the City of Baltimore hasn’t personally asked for my opinion :).
I am relieved that the charges are upheld because I did not want to see any more rioting. However, I am not optimistic about the outcome. It is rare for a police officer to be held accountable for wrongful conduct, even when evidence is right in front of our face. For all the video recorders and advanced technology we have today, it doesn’t seem to have helped much where justice is concerned.
The trials are set to start in October. I certainly didn’t think they would start this quickly (and continuances can still be filed). But this is one case I will be watching closely – along with the rest of the nation, I suppose. I feel like in each one of these instances America collectively holds their breath, suffers through the disappointment of the verdict, and then braces for the aftermath. Will this outcome be any different? As with everything .. time will tell …