Current indications are the driver did not provide a rough ride.
As reported elsewhere, the procedural requirement to strap in prisoners was no more than two weeks old and officers had not been apprised at station meetings it was officially in force.
Were all six officers in any case really responsible for strapping Gray in?
Did Gray really bash his own head against the wall, attempting to injure himself inside the van and, if so, how far might that diminish the officers' culpability?
If this had happened a month ago to a white prisoner, would anyone have been charged?
I doubt it.
That such harsh charges were brought is being taken by the Baltimore mob as their victory, spun by friendly media as a victory in the continuing black struggle for justice in America.
But to the extent it was a true mob victory, it was a victory for criminals, their families, and their allies over the forces of order who are their natural, devoted enemies.
And yet police violence, brutality, criminality, and irresponsibility is a genuine national problem with victims of all races, ages, and sexes.
And yet, regarding this case, quite apart from the new department directive, the police practice of not using seat belts in vans for prisoner transport has been at best casually reckless and should have been regarded as culpably negligent, all along.
Police should have been subject to punishment even if nothing went wrong, and all the more so in case of prisoner injury or death, whether or not injuries were self inflicted that could not have been if seat belts had been used.
The country and its police forces need to be weaned away from a system that allows "we were trained to do it that way" to function as a cloak of invulnerability.
That has been an effective guarantee they will never be trained differently.
The country and its police forces need to be weaned away from a system that allows "we were trained to do it that way" to function as a cloak of invulnerability.
That has been an effective guarantee they will never be trained differently.
Police owe better behavior to all with whom they deal.
Maybe this will help.
PS.
If the Justice Department feels the need to participate maybe they should be looking out to be sure these 6 cops aren't railroaded, made scapegoats for the wrongs of the entire system.
Is it a coincidence that is what the Germans are doing to a ninety year old who carried a spear in Auschwitz?
Is it a coincidence that is what the Germans are doing to a ninety year old who carried a spear in Auschwitz?
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