MD - Freddie Gray dies in police custody #3 *INDICTMENT*

[Peliman]

Baltimore mayor fires Police Commissioner Anthony Batts

BALTIMORE (AP) — Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Wednesday that she has fired Police Commissioner Anthony Batts, 2 1/2 months after the city broke out into riots following the death of a man who was injured in police custody.

The mayor scheduled a news conference with Davis for later Wednesday afternoon.

Rawlings did not give a reason, but the move comes amid a spike in the city's homicide rate.

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/29503709/baltimore-mayor-fires-police-commissioner

http://www.wbaltv.com/news/baltimor...-batts-is-out-as-police-commissioner/34058370

 

[sonjay]

Baltimore mayor fires Police Commissioner Anthony Batts

Batts was definitely the problem. I'm sure all the Bal'morians will stop killing each other now.

 

[bettybaby00]

Batts was definitely the problem. I'm sure all the Bal'morians will stop killing each other now.

Thanks button not enough. Definitely made me :giggle: despite this whole situation being anything but funny.

 

[KEVINinTO]

Here is a copy of the Baltimore FOP (police union) "after action report"

https://simonstudio.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/assad2bfamily2bin2bvogue.jpg

The report confirms that orders were given to officers to stand-down and let rioters burn and loot the city :

ISSUE: Orders were given not to engage protestors
In a press conference held during the riots, Mayor Rawlings-Blake made the following comment,
“W
e also gave those who wished to destroy space to do t
hat as well.”
To view footage of her comments, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_5KQC7k8Lc . Commissioner Batts and command staff members addressed officers during a roll call on April 25, 2015 at Police Headquarters. Of those officers who were present, and with whom the After Action Review Committee spoke, each reported being given direct orders from Commissioner Batts and command staff members not to engage any protestors. Officers were ordered to allow the protestors room to destroy and allow the destruction of property so that the rioters would appear to be the aggressors. According to
officers’ accounts, they were told “
the Baltimore Police Department would not respond until they [the protestors] burned, looted, and destroyed the city so that it would show that the rioters were forcing our hand.
”
The officers were told their primary job was to deescalate any situation with no response rather than to escalate with action. This was confirmed by officers from other jurisdictions who attended that roll call

 

[sonjay]

Here is a copy of the Baltimore FOP (police union) "after action report"

https://simonstudio.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/assad2bfamily2bin2bvogue.jpg

The report confirms that orders were given to officers to stand-down and let rioters burn and loot the city :

I read that report last night. All can say is wow. Just wow. It was even worse than I thought.

 

[Peliman]

Here is a copy of the Baltimore FOP (police union) "after action report"

https://simonstudio.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/assad2bfamily2bin2bvogue.jpg

The report confirms that orders were given to officers to stand-down and let rioters burn and loot the city :

KEVIN Please check your link, ty.

 

[KEVINinTO]

KEVIN Please check your link, ty.

Sorry for this goof-up :blushing:

Here is the proper link

http://www.fop3.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AAR-Final.pdf

 

[BirdycatNY]

I read that report last night. All can say is wow. Just wow. It was even worse than I thought.

How far up does the extremely poor decision-making hierarchy go regarding the riots? Jmo, but I don't think it stops with scapegoat Batts or the mayor who didn't fire herself. It will be interesting to see the truth (and not some propaganda spin/back-peddling) about how these Baltimore riots came about and exactly who and why decision-makers wanted to give space to individuals to destroy millions of dollars of property, not to mention terrorizing neighborhoods and harming people. Did the mayor really think that Batts is the problem, that's chutzpah. Jmo/

 

[bettybaby00]

How far up does the extremely poor decision-making hierarchy go regarding the riots? Jmo, but I don't think it stops with scapegoat Batts or the mayor who didn't fire herself. It will be interesting to see the truth (and not some propaganda spin/back-peddling) about how these Baltimore riots came about and exactly who and why decision-makers wanted to give space to individuals to destroy millions of dollars of property, not to mention terrorizing neighborhoods and harming people. Did the mayor really think that Batts is the problem, that's chutzpah. Jmo/

bbm

:giggle: I know!

As for your "how high does it go" question...didn't I read early on that the DOJ/Feds had already been involved in Baltimore long before this fiasco? I can't find a link, but I could swear I had read that.

 

[al66pine]

Sorry for this goof-up :blushing:
Here is the proper link
http://www.fop3.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AAR-Final.pdf

Absolutely eye-opening, ~32 pp. (won't take as long as you think, several pages are photos).

EQUIPMENT
"ISSUE: Officers were told not to wear protective gear during the riots." p. 16

Okey-dokey (snark). Once given clearance to don gear, their physical safety sh/hv/bn considerably enhanced, right? Read on.

"Officers should have been supplied with helmets, goggles, shields, batons, groin protectors, turtle suits, gas masks and gloves before any rioting occurred."
"ISSUE: Equipment provided to officers was widely ill-fitted, mismatched, expired, intended for training purposes and/or otherwise faulty." p 17

In first reading MSM summaries, I had impression that LE was beefing about not having state of the art, cutting edge gear.
Wrong. The FOP report makes it seem like LEO's were given gear gathered from Goodwill's rejects, well, just short of that.

pdf in link has waaaaaay more and makes me wonder about whether my local LE has approp equipment.

JM2cts, could be all wrong.

 

[dandy]

bbm

:giggle: I know!

As for your "how high does it go" question...didn't I read early on that the DOJ/Feds had already been involved in Baltimore long before this fiasco? I can't find a link, but I could swear I had read that.

yup - 10/2014: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/crime/blog/bs-md-justice-probe-20141017-story.html#page=1

i want to know who came up with the brainiac idea that l/e should call the lawyers when they see a crime and to follow the suspect until they get an answer as to whether they can arrest the suspect. this one totally escapes logic.

 

[dandy]

i was shocked at her response - thought they were trying to "come together"? mayor quote: Our hope was that this report would shed some additional light on how we can better prepare our officers should there be future unrest. Instead this report is no more than a trumped up political document full of baseless accusations, finger pointing and personal attacks.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...eport-on-baltimore-unrest-20150708-story.html

mm's office filed in the correct court this time. quote from article: Prosecutors in the Freddie Gray case have asked again for a protective order to restrict the release of evidence in the criminal case against six Baltimore police officers in the arrest and death of the West Baltimore man — and for a court hearing to discuss the request.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...y-protective-order-filing-20150709-story.html

 

[i.b.nora]

There is nothing eye-opening in that report, imo.

I agree with the Mayor, its all the same tired mistruths and exaggerations without any suggested solutions to the bigger problems. Its just a written version of all those clothed in secrecy, smoke and mirrors, incognito alleged policeman interviews they lined up for the media.

If the police want to wear military gear, they should just join the military, imo.

 

[KEVINinTO]

Megyn Kelly is covering the Freddie gray case right now on FOX (for the full hour I believe)

 

[dandy]

Megyn Kelly is covering the Freddie gray case right now on FOX (for the full hour I believe)

there's been a few new things i didn't know - hope mm & srb are watching

 

[dandy]

new defense motion filed - didn't receive all the discovery: quote from article:

The defense attorneys asked that the subpoena require the evidence be turned over by July 24. All of the officers have pleaded not guilty, and a trial date has been set in October.


The subpoena seeks "any and all documents, evidence, witness statements, emails, and notes produced as a result of the investigation" as well as internal emails, phone records and text messages sent among Mosby's staff and various other law enforcement agencies in the city.

In addition, the subpoena seeks communications between Mosby's office and the offices of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and William "Billy" Murphy Jr., the attorney for Gray's family.

A list of evidence Mosby's office has already produced in discovery doesn't indicate that any employees from the sheriff's office or state's attorney's office provided statements — though several Baltimore police detectives and employees did provide statements in addition to the defendants themselves.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...stigation-subpoena-20150710-story.html#page=2

edit - another one filed today:

wo Baltimore police officers charged with assault in connection with Freddie Gray's arrest have asked to be tried separately from two other officers charged with more serious crimes in his death.

They've also asked for statements they made to investigators following the incident to be suppressed.Attorneys for Officers Edward Nero and Garrett Miller filed motions in Baltimore Circuit Court on Friday opposing the stated intention of Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby to try them alongside Officer Caesar Goodson and Sgt. Alicia White.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...epth/bs-md-ci-miller-nero-20150710-story.html

 

[dandy]

There is nothing eye-opening in that report, imo.

I agree with the Mayor, its all the same tired mistruths and exaggerations without any suggested solutions to the bigger problems. Its just a written version of all those clothed in secrecy, smoke and mirrors, incognito alleged policeman interviews they lined up for the media.

If the police want to wear military gear, they should just join the military, imo.

well - the mayor agrees with their lack of proper equipment (like shields that broke during the rock throwing)

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Wednesday that Baltimore police will be equipped with new riot gear before verdicts in the Freddie Gray trials come down.

The pledge was made after Rawlings-Blake acknowledged that officers did not have enough shields or body armor during the April riots, when about 160 officers were injured.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/freddie-gray/bs-md-ci-mayor-riot-gear-20150701-story.html

 

[al66pine]

"Baltimore woman was arrested after she dumped what appeared to be water on Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake as she greeted residents Saturday morning at the Mondawmin Festival.The woman, identified by police as Lacheisa Pailin-Sheffer [37 y/o] , ran up to Rawlings-Blake and poured alarge cup of liquid over the mayor's head. Aides rushed to the mayor to help her dry off while a member of her executive protection unit grabbed the woman and placed her in handcuffs."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...md-ci-mayor-water-in-face-20150711-story.html
date July 11. Also vid & 6 pix.

From a commenter, re what LE can do:
Rocks that can kill and you cannot arrest them but water on the mayor is intolerable?

Oh, failed to notice it was a large cup of water, now I see (yes, snark).

Note: Mayor does not have bodyguard; she has an 'executive protection unit.' (no, not snark, see article)

Carry on.

 

[dandy]

wow - cth is speedy - had this up in a matter of minutes!

imo mm better learn how to tap dance - doesn't look good - quote:

Defense attorneys for the officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray are accusing prosecutors of misconduct by "judge-shopping" to get a search warrant approved.

In the latest filing in the case, the defense attorneys cite a police memo turned over by prosecutors that indicates an April 24 application for a warrant to search the officers' phones was rejected by a District Court judge, who found it lacked probable cause.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...eddie-gray-judge-shopping-20150713-story.html

edit - pls note this is from chicago tribune - baltimore sun has the article listed on its home page - but nothing when one clicks on the link.

haha - i was gonna email justin to ask that they pdf/publish the actual document

 

[dandy]

oopsie - if this is a "fundraiser for nick - why is mm in front of him :thinking: event has been cancelled

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/ma...-ci-nick-mosby-fundraiser-20150713-story.html