(Newswire.net — May 1, 2015) — The Baltimore’s chief prosecutor Marilyn Mosby said on Friday that six Baltimore police officers will face charges, including second-degree murder and manslaughter of a black man who suffered a fatal neck injury while riding in a police van, Reuters reported.
Mosby, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City, said Gray, who died a week after his April 12th arrest, suffered a critical neck injury as a result of being handcuffed inside the van. She said Gray asked for medical attention at least two times but officers ignored the requests.
According to a police report, Gray was found to have suffered broken vertebra and an injured voice box. After emergency spinal surgery, Gray slipped into a coma from which he never recovered. His death sparked a wave of protests across Baltimore.
The court and police records showed Baltimore Police Officer Lt. Brian Rice, a central figure in the arrest of Freddie Gray, was hospitalized three years ago over mental health concerns. He also had his gun confiscated.
He faced action in Maryland’s civil courts over alleged domestic violence in 2008 and 2013, according to public filings, AP reported. In both cases, the judge, according to the report, denied requests for protective orders.
Mosby stated in an open-air press conference before media and protesters, that warrants have been issued for the arrest of the officers charged in the case. Besides murder and manslaughter, charges include assault, misconduct and false imprisonment, she said.
In a dramatic news conference, Mosby said the Maryland chief medical examiner ruled out the alleged witnesses claim that he heard – but didn’t see – ‘someone’ bumping against the van wall, which was relayed to police and presented to media that Gray died of self-inflicted wounds. Mosby said that medical examiner found Gray’s spinal injuries occurred while he was riding without restraints in the van.
Reportedly, Gray was no longer breathing when he was finally removed from the van, Mosby told a crowd, which broke into applause after she finished speaking.