In the spring of 2015, the city of Baltimore became the epicenter of a national conversation surrounding police conduct and racial tensions following the death of a 25-year-old African-American man named Freddie Carlos Gray Jr. On the morning of April 12, Gray was arrested by Baltimore Police Department officers. While being transported in a police van, he sustained a severe spinal cord injury. Gray fell into a coma and, after a week of medical intervention, succumbed to his injuries on April 19, 2015. His death was ultimately ruled a homicide by the medical examiner, who determined the fatal injury was the result of being unrestrained by a seatbelt in the police vehicle.
The circumstances of Gray's arrest and subsequent injury sparked widespread outrage and protests in Baltimore and across the country. The public demanded answers and accountability for what many viewed as another instance of police brutality against an unarmed black man. An investigation into the incident was launched, and six police officers involved in Gray's arrest and transport were suspended. The officers were identified as Lieutenant Brian Rice, Sergeant Alicia White, Officer William Porter, Officer Garrett Miller, Officer Edward Nero, and Officer Caesar Goodson. The investigation revealed that officers had failed to secure Gray in the van with a seatbelt, a violation of department policy, and that they did not provide timely medical attention when he requested it.
Following the medical examiner's ruling, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced that her office would be filing criminal charges against the six officers. The charges varied among the officers and included second-degree depraved-heart murder, involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, and misconduct in office. The legal proceedings that followed were closely watched by the nation. After a series of trials, three of the officers were acquitted of all charges. In July 2016, the remaining charges against the other three officers were dropped by the prosecution. Ultimately, none of the six officers were convicted in connection with Freddie Gray's death. The city of Baltimore did, however, reach a $6.4 million settlement with Gray's family to avoid a civil lawsuit.
