it was only when, reportedly, he was acting "irate" that he was removed and had his feet shackled.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/arrest-to-death-what-happened-to-freddie-gray/
Now I have no idea whether the series of events with FG was reasonable or normal. I have zero experience with being arrested so no clue on that front. And there was a very selective presentation of "facts" by the prosecutor and we haven't heard from ANY of the several officers involved.
If your feet are shackled could you still use them to stabilize yourself while sitting? I'm just thinking of, sorry, Jodi Arias and her walk across the courtroom for JSS. She was shackled. But maybe she was shackled differently. Again, I just don't know enough to say whether the officers actions were reasonable and/or whether FG's resistance activities caused in whole or part his injuries. Was he placed on the floor intentionally so he couldn't fall? Did he fall and end up on the floor? What is usually done with a cuffed and shackled prisoner when placed in that type of transport van?
And then the issue of whether he should have been seatbelted. Which, to me, may not just be on the officers involved. Because, if turns out, as has been alleged, that prisoners resisting who may present a danger to LE are typically NOT seatbelted, it will be hard to prove they were criminally responsible. If higher ups and, basically everyone in the dept knew, that the "seatbelt" policy was perhaps more honored in the breach, then it will be very difficult to hold the officers responsible in any criminal way or even to hold them personally responsible for negligence. The Police Commissioner may be the responsible one if he "allowed" the seatbelt rule to be routinely circumvented, i.e. he "knew" and did nothing. There's often an "official policy" and actual practice. Maybe the whole method of transport is negligent, although I'm sure there are safety and other reasons for having such a bare bones van used for prisoner transport. And if it is, who is responsible? The officers or the city and officials who are charged with looking at the whole arrest and transport process?
And so my comments are not misconstrued, FG should not have died from being arrested and transported. It was tragic. But what actually caused that and who, if anyone, is criminally responsible, is a whole different issue.