The prosecutor in the Freddie Gray death announces what might be hasty, politically motivated charges and a city calms down. For now, at least:
Baltimore’s Mood Shifts From Grim to Elated After Charges Are Announced
...
“It seems like we’re finally getting justice,” said Gary Thornton, 29, who lives in East Baltimore.
Tashira Skinner, his friend, interjected, “It won’t be justice until they say guilty.”
There is that pesky matter of trials and convictions. The Times follows up on the challenges facing the prosecutor:
Baltimore Prosecutor Faces National History of Police Acquittals
With an unexpectedly speedy and sweeping announcement on Friday of homicide and abuse-of-power charges against six police officers in the death of Freddie Gray, Baltimore’s chief prosecutor sent an unmistakable signal that the days when police misconduct drew a wrist slap are over.
It was a bold gesture, experts say — and a risky one. For the pledge may be an empty gesture unless prosecutors secure convictions in Mr. Gray’s death.
They say "empty gesture", I say "over-reaching, pandering disaster"; time will tell. At some point actual evidence and facts may be important, but I would guess that acquittals would inflame the city and (further) de-legitimize the criminal justice system in the eyes of many.
Both history and the circumstances of the case unveiled on Friday hint that it will be anything but easy. Brutality cases against police officers are notoriously difficult to win, and much about the case, including the evidence against the officers and their defense, remains unknown.
I don't know much about the evidence either, but if the police officers really did find Freddie Gray unconscious and unresponsive in the back of the van without seeking immediate medical intervention, then a "reckless disregard" type charge seems supportable. This is from the NY Times timeline - Stop 4 was the last stop before the van went to the Western District police station:
Stop No. 4: [Prosecutor] Ms. Mosby said Officer Goodson was met here by Officers Nero, Miller and Porter. Sgt. Alicia D. White and Officers Porter and Goodson observed “Mr. Gray unresponsive on the floor,” Ms. Mosby said. Sergeant White spoke to the back of Mr. Gray’s head, and he did not respond. “Despite Mr. Gray’s seriously deteriorating medical condition, no medical assistance was rendered or summoned for Mr. Gray at that time by any officer,” Ms. Mosby said.
That said, the idea of "false imprisonment" charges based on the absence of a legitimate basis for arrest seems like a stretch. My presumption is that there is (or ought to be) some sort of a good faith exception. A key part of the dispute here seems to be whether Mr. Gray's knife was legal or not. Presumably the defense will argue that either (a) the knife was in fact illegal (or a parole violation?), or (b) the knife was close enough to illegal that the officers made a good faith mistake. Attorney Andrew Branca at Legal Insurrection has lots more:
Arrests often go uncharged, and charges are often dismissed, and defendants are even acquitted at trial, often based upon a later conclusion that the underlying facts which suggested a crime are untrue or mistaken. None of these outcomes makes the initial arrest illegal.
When an officer makes an arrest based on an articulable statement of probable cause, that arrest becomes illegal only if the officer knew or reasonably should have known that no crime had, in fact, been committed.
In short, police are entitled to make reasonable mistakes, and such a reasonable mistake does not make the arrest illegal.
Such a mistake may, of course, make further prosecution of the offense impractical or outright unjust. But that’s a completely different matter than whether an arrest was unlawful.
One important lesson has been learned here - let's cut back to the initial Times coverage describing the charges:
Standing on a nearby street corner, Renee James, 48, said, “There’s no need to go tear up the city no more.”
Her friend Antoinnette White, 53, said of the riot: “Hurting innocent people was nonsense. I cried.”
But Abdullah Moaney, 53, an information technology worker from East Baltimore, said that “peace has lost its credibility.” Seeking to justify the violence that broke out Monday, he said that “if it wasn’t for the riot,” charges would not have been filed.
Muslims have figured it out, and now some Americans are figuring it out - non-violence is for patsies, and the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Grace Lee Whitney, who played Captain Kirk's assistant [Yeoman Janice Rand] on the original "Star Trek" series, has died. She was 85.
Posted by: DrJ | May 04, 2015 at 06:40 AM
Speaking of offending religious minorities, the (taxpayer supported) Kennedy Center is putting on "The Book of Mormon" again this summer, which openly mocks and ridicules the Mormon church.
I suppose, based on the logic of the libs blaming the victims down in Texas, that they'd be OK if Mitt Romney spent a few of his millions to hire a crew, outfit them with AK-47s, and shoot up the Kennedy Center. Right?
Posted by: James D. | May 04, 2015 at 07:16 AM
That Janice Rand footage I believe got resurrected in the Star Trek episode about Commander Pike.
The mentions of Keith Ellison reminded me he was a listed speaker last week http://www.goodjobsforall.org/speakers/ at the forum that rolled out that report I talked about in my most recent post. I had already linked to it and also noted Elizabeth Warren's involvement Saturday here.
Posted by: rse | May 04, 2015 at 07:42 AM
Is there a bigger pile of crap a**hole than Donald Trump. What a slime ball. But once the financial disclosure requirements are triggered he'll back out. His ego would not be able to take the criticism and negatives the otherw would throw at him deservedlly.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 07:48 AM
Happy Cinco de Quattro, everyone!
Hmm, wait. Is that May 4th, or May 5th? These holidays are so confusing.
Posted by: PD | May 04, 2015 at 07:51 AM
I take it Trump is on Fox again bloviating.
his is why I quit watching Fox and Friends. On Mondays they inflict Trump on me, and on Fridays it's Geraldo.
Poor way to start a day.
Posted by: Miss Marple | May 04, 2015 at 07:52 AM
Today in Hillary History: Was the Fix Really In? May 4, 1998
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/27/time/hubbell.html
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 08:10 AM
The winning Motoon in Garland.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 08:18 AM
Here's a wonderful fact filled post from Free Beacon - http://freebeacon.com/issues/baltimore-received-1-8-billion-from-obamas-stimulus-law/
a bit -
"According to Recovery.gov, one of Baltimore’s central ZIP codes, 21201, received the most stimulus funding in the city, a total of $837,955,866. The amount included funding for 276 awards, and the website reports that the spending had created 290 jobs in the fourth quarter in 2013.
Of this amount, $467.1 million went to education; $206.1 million to the environment; $24 million to “family”; $16.1 million to infrastructure; $15.2 million to transportation; $11.9 million to housing; and $3.1 million to job training."
And this is on top of all the old, ongoing programs & on top of state taxpayer programs.
Posted by: Janet | May 04, 2015 at 08:46 AM
290 jobs created for a cost of $837 million? That works out to $2.8 million per job created.
Considering that the jobs (all benefits included0 probably actually were worth $100,000/year (or less, probably), one wonders whose pockets the other $2.7 million per job went into?
Oh, who am I kidding? We all know the answer to that question.
Posted by: James D. | May 04, 2015 at 08:59 AM
Janet, good to know our money's being spent wisely and prudently, and with all the care that we would exercise were we spending it ourselves.
Only $2.9M per job, not bad.
Posted by: PD | May 04, 2015 at 08:59 AM
I rounded up. James D. more graciously rounded down.
Posted by: PD | May 04, 2015 at 09:00 AM
$206.1 million to the environment;
As in "evaporated."
In one zip code.
Posted by: Extraneus | May 04, 2015 at 09:03 AM
PIck your state!
VA Viper Map: What Does Each State Have More of Per Captia Than Any Other State.
http://vaviper.blogspot.com/2015/05/map-what-does-each-state-have-more-of.html
Mine has more shark attacks.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 09:14 AM
I would really, really, really like to see a major GOP figure lay out the facts about Baltimore, and Maryland:
Maryland has had a Democrat governor for 48 of the past 54 years.
The legislature is totally dominated by Democats (91-50 in the Assembly, 33-14 in the Senate). Democrats have controlled both houses of the legislature without exception for the past 23 years.
The last Republican Senator from Maryland left office in 1977.
Democtats have controlled the Maryland congressional delegation for 52 of the past 64 years (with an even split in 10 of the other 12 years). Republicans have not controlled a majority of the congressional delegation since 1955.
A Democrat has been Mayor of Baltimore for 65 of the last 69 years, and the last Republican left office in 1967.
Democrats have had absolute, one-party control over both the city, and the state government, for virtually all of the past half-century. Maybe they bear some responsibility for the disaster that is Baltimore?
Posted by: James D. | May 04, 2015 at 09:20 AM
Mine has (wait for it ) more liberals per capita
Posted by: Jane | May 04, 2015 at 09:21 AM
JamesD,
According to the map I linked Maryland also has more Democrats + Millionaires per capita than any other state, so there!
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 09:25 AM
Jane, that makes whooping cough seem mild by comparison.
Posted by: henry | May 04, 2015 at 09:25 AM
Minimum wage workers, and our MSM betters here lecture us about it constantly.
Posted by: Eric in Boise | May 04, 2015 at 09:31 AM
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3066779/Police-officer-suspect-said-injured-shooting-outside-art-anti-Muslim-exhibition-art-depicting-prophet-Muhammad.html
ISIS? No way.
At least we can be reassured that they are practicing a false version of Islam.
Hopefully Obama takes it upon himself to order a drone strike on US soil next time.
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 09:31 AM
School lunch update...
http://eagnews.org/photo-school-serves-burned-burritos-covered-with-melted-plastic-for-healthy-lunch/
Posted by: Extraneus | May 04, 2015 at 09:34 AM
about Trump...I will always appreciate how he pushed the Obama crew concerning the long form birth certificate.
For years the MFM didn't differentiate between a birth certification & a birth certificate. They kept saying Obama had already released his birth certificate.
Oops...I guess NOT because after Trump hounded him, Obama released the certificate in April 2011.
Why did Obama have to play that game? Why wait so long? What was the point?
Obama acted like there was nothing he could do to get the certificate, which Trump proved was a lie.
How could that not bother the MFM at all? In fact they laughed it up with Obama at the 2011 WHCD on April 30, 2011.
Hahahahaha...all the stupid Americans that asked questions....hahahahaahhaha...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/30/white-house-correspondents-dinner-2011_n_855926.html
Anyway, I will always appreciate Trump for that. He was braver than any of the lousy MFM "reporters".
The sycophantic MFM joined in ridiculing the one guy that actually pushed to get info from President Obama.
Posted by: Janet | May 04, 2015 at 09:40 AM
I stand with Janet!
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 09:48 AM
Also found in Ext's link:
Listeria?
I wonder how many of the packagers will claim they are doing a job Americans wouldn't do.
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 09:51 AM
Good thing New York State has more lawyers per capita because Dean Skelos, the State Senate majority leader and his son is going to need a bunch of them. Both arrested on corruption charges.
Can you guess the party?
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/05/nyregion/dean-skelos-new-york-senate-leader-and-son-are-arrested-on-corruption-charges.html?smid=tw-nytmetro&_r=0
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 09:59 AM
Correction: Skelos is a Republican. And I shoiuld have known that. My bad.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 10:02 AM
This is an interesting piece identifying the problems on the Baltimore Plantation as being endemic across almost all Fascist Plantations. The author also notes the success of Fascist ethnic cleansing in San Francisco,Portland and Seattle.
The piece notes the rate of successful Flight From Blue Hell of those intelligent enough to remove their children from danger but it doesn't address the flight of the intelligent as the primary causative factor in very poor outcomes for those dumb enough to remain in the cesspools.
Understandable, the average thingy does require some arithmetic.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | May 04, 2015 at 10:09 AM
Charlotte Elizabeth Diana
royal tot is named.
Posted by: henry | May 04, 2015 at 10:11 AM
I got the first name right in the lottery but not the second. I had Ann.
Posted by: Jim Eagle | May 04, 2015 at 10:13 AM
but of course,
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2015/05/04/texas-attack-is-yet-another-case-of-known-wolf-terrorism-suspect-idd-as-elton-simpson-of-phoenix/
where does Charlotte come from in that order, and wouldn't it end with Spencer,
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 10:15 AM
New York State Leg, is a hive of scum and villainy, little news there,
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 10:18 AM
Maine has more boating accidents? That is interesting,I wonder if the statistics include commercial fishing accidents? Maine has three of the most dangerous occupations...fishing,farming and logging.
There is a red fox running around our little condo neighborhood and it is making the dog crazy.
Posted by: Marlene | May 04, 2015 at 10:20 AM
so more distribution per Edwards,
http://freebeacon.com/issues/baltimore-received-1-8-billion-from-obamas-stimulus-law/
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 10:21 AM
from FB
Posted by: Janet | May 04, 2015 at 10:34 AM
Local news is about to discuss the Baltimore Thug Six. The teaser to keep my attention was "up next we talk about the six cops, most of whom were charged with 2nd murder..."
That I know of only one of Obama's imaginary sons was charged with murder.
Dilution is the solution.
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 10:35 AM
so we have a Al Shabaab affiliated hitter, not unlike Jihad John, but leave it to Al Ghuardian, to focus on the important matters,
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/may/04/texas-attack-muhammad-cartoon-event-muslim-community
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 10:37 AM
And in really important news,
Posted by: DrJ | May 04, 2015 at 10:41 AM
btw, the film with self guiding bullets was Runaway, from a Crichton script,
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 10:55 AM
--Golf's biggest star...--
Rory McIlroy was seeing Lindsey Von?
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | May 04, 2015 at 10:56 AM
Charlotte was the name of George III's beloved queen and popular among the Hanovarians.
Posted by: rse | May 04, 2015 at 10:56 AM
I should have known that from Georgianna, thanks rse,
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 10:57 AM
I have been to the National Portrait Gallery quite a few times and went room by room with my daughters.
It is also what visually locked in Mary and Anne being the deposed James II's daughters.
Posted by: rse | May 04, 2015 at 10:59 AM
Costanza's favorite columnist misses the point,
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/lupica-outrage-short-supply-victim-article-1.2208939
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 11:01 AM
those words you are using:
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2015/05/04/32757123-bill-clinton-defends-his-foundations-foreign-money?d=1
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 11:08 AM
rse, another Charlotte was George IV's daughter,who died in childbirth. She was the legitimate heir and the turmoil that followed led to Victoria's eventual succession. Imagine Europe without the heirs of Victoria! All those cousins. Imagine Christmas dinner with George V, Kaiser Wilhelm and the Tsar and Tsarina. They would put the "fun" in family dysfunction. Ha!
Posted by: Marlene | May 04, 2015 at 11:12 AM
So a gal and a guy feel the need to send out a press release that they are no longer a squeeze item? Who cares? The only dating information in which I'm interested is BOE's!
Posted by: Thomas Collins | May 04, 2015 at 11:16 AM
http://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2015/05/03/immunity-zone/#more-43059
"But the truth is, no one is safe. Not left-wing artists in Europe nor Nigerian schoolgirls nor high school students in Pakistan. Not agricultural college kids in Africa nor Yazidis in their remote mountain villages. Not people working a regular day in Manhattan on bright September days.
No one is safe." ...
"...those killed or maimed in the Boston Marathon bombing were not interested in politics but that did not keep them from getting blown up."
Posted by: Janet | May 04, 2015 at 11:17 AM
"The only dating information in which I'm interested is BOE's!"
And then, only with the sound turned down.
Posted by: Old Lurker | May 04, 2015 at 11:27 AM
well that would assume selfawareness at Rupert Pupkin's
http://twitchy.com/2015/05/04/making-a-complete-fool-out-of-her-cnns-alisyn-camerota-schooled-by-pamela-geller-video/
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 11:31 AM
Obama has a whole lotta sons?
http://abcnews.go.com/US/official-texas-shooting-suspects-ided/story
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 11:40 AM
Donald Trump - I classify him, along with King Three Putt and Princess Diana as the three most overrated people of the last 30 years.
He is just a vulgar human being.
Posted by: Johns_Creek_Bill | May 04, 2015 at 11:56 AM
Trump is as vulgar as princess Diana.
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 12:01 PM
The Geller clip on CNN from narciso's 11:31 link is FANTASTIC. God bless her.
Posted by: Janet | May 04, 2015 at 12:02 PM
Try this link:
http://abcnews.go.com/US/official-texas-shooting-suspects-ided/story?id=30782088
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 12:03 PM
I'm not kidding...the video is fantastic.
Posted by: Janet | May 04, 2015 at 12:08 PM
I love when Pam says, "So what?".
Posted by: Janet | May 04, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Janet is right.
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 12:10 PM
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | May 04, 2015 at 12:15 PM
he was also in Wanted Dead or Alive, where I first heard of Yemen,
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 12:16 PM
hit, if you are still reading, did you go to high school in Garland? Mr. Porch lived there for a few years in the late '80s.
Posted by: Porchlight | May 04, 2015 at 12:18 PM
I love when Pam says, "So what?".
That was a Breitbart thing. He encouraged everyone to respond with "So?" when confronted when some dumbass lib is making a statement and demanding a reply.
https://www.theobjectivestandard.com/2012/03/andrew-breitbarts-so-a-great-question-and-now-a-worthy-charity/
Posted by: Porchlight | May 04, 2015 at 12:19 PM
I do not endorse all the views of that blogger, by the way.
Posted by: Porchlight | May 04, 2015 at 12:22 PM
Daddy, I think you've hit on something. From here on out CNN can be known as the BIG BUT network.
Posted by: Lazybusy | May 04, 2015 at 12:26 PM
yes, there is a bit of dodging there, of course we can't speak of Voldemort, 'his name is a killing word'
Posted by: narciso | May 04, 2015 at 12:30 PM
Now, this must be racist ....
Star Wars Cover: J.J. Abrams Reveals His Idea to Kill Jar Jar Binks
For some Star Wars fans, there's no May the Fourth news finer than this: director J. J. Abrams revealed that he's thought about killing off the very controversial Jar Jar Binks. Sitting in an edit bay at his Bad Robot production office and pointing to a frame of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Abrams told Vanity Fair contributing editor Bruce Handy, "I have a thought about putting Jar Jar Binks's bones in the desert there. I'm serious! Only three people will notice, but they'll love it."
LUN
Posted by: Neo | May 04, 2015 at 12:34 PM
I liked the video, but I don't think Camerota made a "complete fool" of herself. She took the MSM position, but she let Geller talk. No "on the other hand" CAIR guests, no shouting. Geller had the time to explain, and was able to demonstrate the virtue of her position vs. that of the elites.
Excellent job by Pam Geller.
Posted by: Extraneus | May 04, 2015 at 12:40 PM
http://amoprobos.blogspot.com/2015/05/harvard-law-ted-cruz-and-natural-born.html
Posted by: Threadkiller | May 04, 2015 at 12:41 PM
TK,
Jihad in Garland isn't going to be an episode of the Obamasons. It may become an episode in Responsible Free Speech, focusing on the necessity of muzzling unpleasant truth but it lacks the requisite 'thug winning his Darwin' element which characterizes the Obamason Show.
The Mahometan "hold my hookah, I wanna try somethin'" element coupled with ISIS lighting up the idiots via twitter means this one is going to go in the memory hole fairly quickly.
Posted by: Rick Ballard | May 04, 2015 at 12:51 PM
Porch:
if you are still reading, did you go to high school in Garland? Mr. Porch lived there for a few years in the late '80s.
No, I went to Lake Highlands. Richardson school district, but Dallas address. But basically the only thing between my house and Garland was LBJ Freeway.
Posted by: Jeff Dobbs | May 04, 2015 at 02:29 PM
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | May 04, 2015 at 02:43 PM
Gotcha, thanks hit.
I worry about Geller's safety. She's a brave woman, and one we've all known about for a long time, but her national and international profile just got raised bigtime.
Posted by: Porchlight | May 04, 2015 at 03:00 PM
I worry about Geller's safety. She's a brave woman, and one we've all known about for a long time, but her national and international profile just got raised bigtime.
Bike Boy and the two or three people he hasn't banned have considered her a terrible h8er for a long time.
Posted by: Captain Hate | May 04, 2015 at 07:08 PM
Janet
Your posts have been excellent
I agree totally
Posted by: maryrose | May 04, 2015 at 09:21 PM