In early August of 2014, the town of Ferguson, Missouri was rocked after an unarmed 18 year old African American teenager by the name of Michael Brown, was fatally shot by a white police officer. Protests and unrest ensued and every media outlet was present. Debates soon arose about the interactions of police with African Americans and the excessive use of force used by police when dealing with black suspects. Now, less than nine months later and on the east coast, allegations of police brutality are again making news.
For more than a week, protests in Baltimore have made headlines as some of the protests have turned violent and have included looting. The protests arose after a 25-year old black man, named Freddie Gray, died after being taken into police custody. The events surrounding Gray’s death are now part of an ongoing investigation by the Baltimore Police Department. While the investigation is pending, there is some information that is known about the events that led up to Gray’s death.
On the morning of April 12th, police officers were on a block in West Baltimore. Officers saw Gray and went to approach him. According to reports, when Gray spotted police, after being alerted by a third party bystander, he took off running. Two officers on bicycles went after Gray, while a third officer abandoned his bike and ran after Gray. The police did apprehend Gray. A video shot by a witness shows the 5’ 8” 145 pound Gray on the ground, then later being dragged by officers to a police van.
What happened from the time Gray was arrested until the van arrived at the police station are not fully known. When Gray was unloaded from the van, it was reported that he was not able to speak and could not breathe. It was later determined that Gray suffered from a crushed voice box. Police did call paramedics, who spent around 20 minutes treating Gray before he was admitted to the local trauma center. Gray later fell into a coma and passed away about a week after being taken into police custody.
An autopsy has confirmed that Gray suffered a spinal cord injury—which may have occurred during his 30 minute van ride. It has been disclosed that Gray was not fastened into the van—which is a violation of police policy. The purpose of that rule is to prevent officers from the practice of giving a detainee a “rough ride,” where the intent of the officer is to cause harm to the individual in custody by tossing him or her around.
The other big remaining unknown as of now is why Gray was arrested by police in the first place. Meanwhile, six officers associated with Gray’s arrest, including a Sergeant and a Lieutenant, have been put on paid suspension pending the outcome of the investigation.
If you have been the victim of police brutality, or think that a police officer violated your rights, it is important that you seek legal advice right away from a trusted Kansas City Personal Injury Attorney. Only an experienced Kansas City Civil Rights Attorney can thoroughly review the particulars of what happened to you and determine whether you have a case. The experienced Kansas City Civil Rights Attorneys at the Hubbard & Kurtz, L.L.P. have helped numerous clients, in both Kansas and Missouri, seek justice for police brutality and other civil rights violations. Our compassionate team of attorneys are skilled litigators who will diligently pursue your claim. To schedule a free confidential consultation with one of our attorneys, contact our office today at (816) 472-4673.
