On April 12, 2015, Freddie Carlos Gray Jr., a 25-year-old African-American man, was taken into custody by the Baltimore Police Department for possessing what they alleged was a switchblade. While in Police custody his spinal cord was snapped in half, he fell into a coma and consequently died.
Officers to Gray for “a ride” in the back of a Police van, which is when his spinal cord was snapped. Baltimore Prosecutor Marilyn Mosby reacted swiftly, announcing on Friday May 1st that Gray’s death was a homicide. Depraved-heart murder charges were brought against Officer Goodson, involuntary manslaughter for the other five officers. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake expressed a zero-tolerance for conduct and behavior exhibited by the Deadly Six using words like violence, brutality, and racism to describe the immoral acts.
To be a depraved-heart murderer you are accused of being the most disgusting kind of human there can be. You are a monster among men, showing no moral conscience. It’s not that you don’t value human life, you have no concept of its value—total indifference. Once convicted Wilson will serve a maximum of 30 Years. With a charge of depraved-heart murder, prosecutors do not have to prove that Goodson intended to kill. Goodson brings shame to all those who have taken the oath to protect and to serve and do so diligently.
The Deadly Six
Gray was falsely arrested for weapons charges—said to have carried a switchblade, Mr. Gray’s instrument was merely a pocket knife for which he was taken on a “Rough Ride”, while shackled at the hands and ankles.