If the spinal severance was at his neck, that changes the picture

As they say in the commercials, "This changes everything."

Previously I took it that Gray died of a broken back, which could have been due to the police kneeling on him as reportedly shown in the video, or to that and then bouncing around in the van.

I suppose his broken neck could be due to the cops kneeling on Gray's back, but it seems not very likely.

That he died of a broken neck makes the idea more plausible that he injured himself bashing his head on the walls in the van, or was injured by being tossed around in the van in a rough ride, if indeed there was a rough ride.

Original reports say there was no rough ride.

Not so clear a case of police misconduct, after all, it appears.

Baltimore police investigation finishes

At some point, Mr. Gray suffered a severe neck injury, which caused his death. 

Among the crucial unanswered questions are how he was hurt, whether it was before or during the van ride, and whether the ride exacerbated an earlier injury. 

The police have acknowledged that he was not wearing a seatbelt, contrary to department policy, and that he should have received medical attention sooner.

In another place, a liberal writer expressed outrage that running away from police might of itself provoke police pursuit, subdual, and arrest.

To me, that seems not at all outrageous, especially given the neighborhood they were policing, even if at the time police had no knowledge of Gray's criminal record, which to me properly makes his flight more suspicious, yet.

I think, so far as that goes, they did right to pursue, subdue, and detain, though of course Gray might well have later been released if nothing came of it, had he not died.

But it does not surprise me the ACLU takes a different view, and I would not be surprised if others took their side.

As to the case at hand, the truth is we could easily end up with insufficient evidence to support any particular charge of wrongdoing "beyond a reasonable doubt," or even to the point of being more likely true than not.

And then perhaps we will hear more racist noises from black officials and their allies about lowering standards of proof for the express purpose, and no other, of allowing successful prosecution on flimsy evidence of white cops for harming or killing black civilians.

As if we don't have enough innocent people being punished, already.

Alternatively, absent supporting evidence for anything else, it could come down to some people demanding the officers be punished solely because they pursued, subdued, and arrested Gray only for "running while black."

With that demand and the racial suspicion and hatred it expresses I have no sympathy at all.

Whoops, again.

Breaking news, as they say.

ME report on Gray

Sources said the medical examiner found Gray's catastrophic injury was caused when he slammed into the back of the police transport van, apparently breaking his neck; a head injury he sustained matches a bolt in the back of the van.

Details surrounding exactly what caused Gray to slam into the back of the van was unclear. 

The officer driving the van has yet to give a statement to authorities. 

It’s also unclear whether Gray’s head injury was voluntary or was a result of some other action.

If he was given a rough ride I suppose that might be negligent homicide or manslaughter, maybe, assuming that was the cause of the injury.

If there is no evidence there was a wild ride and some evidence he was banging his own head (the statement of the other prisoner), then I don't see how any cop could be prosecuted, though some degree of fault might attach for not tying him in with a seat belt.

Guess we'd better shut up and wait and see, though, eh?