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Baltimore protester arrested at first Freddie Gray court hearing | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Police arrested one protester on Wednesday morning, as a crowd gathered outside the first court hearing since six Baltimore police officers were criminally charged in the death of Freddie Gray. | |
Related: All six Baltimore police officers in Freddie Gray case indicted by grand jury | |
Gray was an African American man who died in April, a week after suffering a critical spinal injury in custody. His death led to protests and a riot that prompted the deployment of the national guard and the mayor to declare a city-wide curfew. | |
On Wednesday at the Baltimore circuit court, prosecutors and defense attorneys were set to present arguments on three key issues: whether state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby, who became a national figure when she announced charges against the officers, should recuse herself; whether the officers should be tried together or separately; and whether the charges should be dismissed. | |
The officers face charges that range from second-degree assault, a misdemeanor, to second-degree “depraved-heart” murder. | The officers face charges that range from second-degree assault, a misdemeanor, to second-degree “depraved-heart” murder. |
On Wednesday, dozens of sheriff’s deputies were patrolling the streets. Up to 75 protesters assembled outside the court, carrying yellow signs with slogans including “Stop racism now” and “Indict, convict, jail”. One banner read: “Justice 4 Freddie Carlos Gray”. | |
#WJZ NOW: #FreddieGray @cbsbaltimore pic.twitter.com/zo5RTRfORm | |
The protesters chanted “Tell the truth and stop the lies, Freddie Gray didn’t have to die” and “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail. The whole damn system is guilty as hell”. | |
Protesters briefly stopped traffic near the city’s Inner Harbor neighborhood, near the courthouse, reporters on the scene and local news outlets reported before 10am. Police arrested one protester, a statement said. | |
Police make arrest as pre-trial hearings begin in the #FreddieGray case. http://t.co/DBF4SVhPVY pic.twitter.com/Frje3sQATt | |
Some reported that the protester arrested had been struck by a car and injured, but that was debated widely on social media and could not be independently confirmed by the Guardian. | |
An ambulance was eventually called for the man. As he sat on the back of a police van waiting for medical technicians, protesters chanted: “Take off the cuffs”. | |
An ambulance is here for @kwamerose. #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/hW8h7UrQbV | |
One protester, Lee Paterson, said he remained concerned charges could be dropped. | |
He also said: “You know, this whole thing is bigger than Freddie Gray. It’s about poverty.” |