Like many, I am still waiting for the evidence used as the basis to charge the six officers in Baltimore for the death of Freddie Gray. This morning, however, I was disturbed to read that an effort to create a fundraising site for the defense of the officers was taken down on GoFundMe. It appears that the site has a very questionable standard for funding that does not afford accused parties a presumption of innocence in asking for support to fund their defense.
The Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police created a GoFundMe page for the six officers after they were charged Friday. However, less than an hour later, it was taken down.
After 41 minutes, it has only raised $1,135 — considerably short of the $600,000 goal.
There is no confirmation on who is responsible. However, the site states the following : “‘Campaigns in defense of formal charges of heinous crimes’ are prohibited by our terms . . . GoFundMe cannot be used to benefit those who are charged with serious violations of the law.” Really? Why? I was under the impression that people were given a presumption of innocence in this country. Why shouldn’t this site be used to help guarantee a fair trial for anyone facing prosecution? Moreover, how do you define a serious violation? Clearly, this case would qualify but where is the line drawn?
This is a site that is designed to help people organize in making donations to support different causes. Giving such charity is a positive act, including giving money to guarantee a fully funded defense. Our criminal justice system is a foundational part of our society. It reflects our commitment to the rule of law. Central to that institution is the presumption of innocence. I find this policy of GoFundMe to be inexplicable and distasteful. Many people want to support the criminal justice system as much as environmental or other causes. The policy makes, in my view, an arbitrary and biased decision in barring those who are accused of serious offenses by the government. It should equally presumably bar those who are viewed as victims of government abuse like journalists or whistleblowers.
I also was a bit concerned to read Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby comments telling protesters: “I heard your calls for, ‘No Justice, No peace.’ Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man.” I generally think it is a bad idea for prosecutors to directly respond to public protests demanding criminal charges. Such protests should not have an influence on the decision to prosecute and it is always a concern, as with Mike Nifong in the Duke case, where prosecutors are seen as too responsive to public demands for criminal charges. This is not meant to suggest that a criminal case cannot be made but these press conferences can undermine the integrity of a prosecution if the chief prosecutor is viewed as too influenced by external events or demands.
“Help, I’m a victim of my own thuggishness. GoFundMe,” Baltimore PD.
I believe all websites are allowed to promulgate and enforce their own terms of service and have seen one enforced here, what exactly is the difference?
There is no reason to suggest that the investigation into the crimes committed by the police has been anything less than thorough. It seems that only those who are not privvy to the evidence that led to the six thug cops being indicted and those that provide knee-jerk unqualified support to police criminals believe that it may have been.
The knife was NOT a switchblade., nor was it ever employed or threatened to be used. A red herring. “The suspect had a steak knife at home in a drawer, these are easily used to kill” is just as useful as statement.
This heinous murder alleged to have been committed by thug cops has not been sold by the media a a case of racial hatred, the race of the perps has been known all along and to have claimed otherwise would have been silly.
As to someones addled attempt to divine tribal loyalties amongst descendants of black slaves, I’ll leave it to the reader to chew on his racism. His great-grandaddy has obviously done our nation, and this debate, a disservice.
Dog Three of the defendants are black, what this is turning to is a lynching. Six officers up for murder of a known drug dealer? When they’re not convicted the riots will start all over again. Sounds like Baltimore P.D. needs a sickout.
I have been watching TV for many days on this and am convinced by CNN and CBS that the assault and killing of the black man was a case of racial hate crime. But how can that be when two defendants are African American? Can it be that they were descendant from different tribes in Africa before their great granddaddies came to America? Are they cross dressed? Bent? Traitors?
Maybe this was not a hate crime based on race. In the race to conclusions we have been deluded by our media. The media is supposed to be the message. I think that the family will need a white lawyer to sue the black defendants and a black lawyer to sue the white defendants. Otherwise the jury on the civil rights case will be confused.
Other interesting fact. Freddie had switch blade knife that Mosby deemed legal. I can use same knife to clean fish or gut a human with no fuss.
Military training, thrust into side of abdomen and twist. Opponent is dead.
Is the stage being set for vigilantism in Baltimore?
As to the point about GoFundMe, I think someone there must have watched the video tapes that I posted on the previous thread.
I will also point out that the prosecutor comes from a family where several generations have been cops. She is not unfriendly to cops. Maybe she is tired of dirty cops and wants to help the good cops get rid of the dirty ones.
Randyjet, I agree with most of what you say but the worst damage prior to Freddie Grey was 2 or 3 people being paralyzed during similar “rides”. I believe all the officers were charged because they all had the opportunity to put him in a seat with a seat belt and to insist that he be taken immediately to an ER and they didn’t do it. A 2 minute ride for someone in pain, as can be seen in the video taken at the site of the arrest, that takes 38 minutes, is torture. A foot or knee on the neck, with an officer’s weight, just might cause vertebrae fractures.
randyjet
It is yet to be clarified one way or another in the courts. Your observations are similar to those which produced the charges. The question of allowing or not, a ‘funding’ web site to assist the officers’ in their defense seems to be something ‘outside’ the process. Who makes this decision? Should anybody be making this decision? If the taking down of the website is to preempt more mob reaction then rights are being trampled. This does not reflect on the equality before the law ideal over in the center ring.
“From the video I have seen, it is obvious that Gray could not move his legs, and a cop lifted him by his belt to throw him into the vehicle. ”
The only video I am aware of was taken before the van ride, at the time of the arrest and being put in the van. His injuries were claimed to have occurred later, in the van ride to jail.
I doubt that these cops will have any problem getting good legal representation since I assume they are in the union which has legal defenders on retainer. As for not seeing any basis for charging these cops, that is clearly absurd. From the video I have seen, it is obvious that Gray could not move his legs, and a cop lifted him by his belt to throw him into the vehicle. He also complained of not being able to breathe which indicates that he probably stopped breathing because his neck was broken. His rolling around in the back was because of his pain and not being able to breathe. That is a horrible way to be killed, and the cops deserve punishment for their negligence.
I doubt any person believes the cops did this intentionally because in 99% of such cases, the worst damage a suspect sustained is some scrapes and bruises when they get tackled. Just as in football, even with all the protective gear, players do get fatally hurt and this is no different. It is clear that they are negligent and should be criminally charged for that.
They also shut down the defense funds for Sweet Cakes of Oregon and Arlene’s Flowers of Washington even though the actions of both fall squarely under the protections of 1st Amendment. This is no different, just throwing more under the bus to quiet the voice of dissent. Defense is only for those with the means to defend, all others, you’re on your own.
I have concerns also that some of these officers are being charged simply by the basis of helping Freddie Gray into the van and/or not placing him into seat belts pursuant to what was stated in the announcements. There is also a report of a potential conflict of interest between the prosecuting attorney and an attorney and campaign contributor to her election who represents the Gray family.
I believe this is not going to end well.
So goes the ‘problems’ of permitting private institutions the latitude to permit or deny service at their sole discretion.
Criticisms and polemics against them are appropriately made in the social sphere, not the government’s.
We hope that private corporations will have the same sense of fairness and equality that we absolutely demand from government institutions, but they don’t always do, nor do they have to.
The pushback and correction of that behavior should be public shaming, and boycotting, not a call for regulation.
Keep an eye on Marilyn Mosby:
Mosby’s critics, including Mr. Bates, say she lacks the necessary experience to prosecute a complex case like the Gray case. Gene Ryan, president of the
Baltimore chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, accused Mosby of having conflicts of interest, including the fact that she has been supported politically by
William H. Murphy Jr., the lawyer for Mr. Gray’s family. He also noted that her husband’s political future, like hers, could be affected by the case.
Mosby is a graduate of Boston College Law School, and previously worked at an insurance company. Before being elected Baltimore City state’s attorney,
she was Maryland’s assistant state’s attorney, working on prosecuting general trial felonies.
Mosby’s husband, Nick, is a Baltimore City Councilmember representing West Baltimore.
Also Bloods & Crips street gangs give Mosby a thumbs up. She da man!
Guillotine!
I wonder if GoFundMe will take down sites for any of the brick throwers who may be charged?
JT surfaces the gray area that exists in the police and justice systems, again. Mosby’s ‘swift’ action and blanket approach in charging most if not all police officers involved can be seen as a knee jerk and personally motivated reaction to the violence in Baltimore or it can be seen as the appropriate thing to do in treating police officers as citizens and subject to the law as is anyone else. The answer lies somewhere between these two extremes and will come through the following procedures.
The charging of the officers was done after investigations. This can be seen as justice in the works without prejudice. However, given the rioting and other mayhem it can also validate this rioting and mayhem as in illustrating that this is the way the ‘people’ must act to get results.
Funding the defense of those charged should be independent of the incident. What is or is not appropriate will always create points of contention. The police officers are standing against the State of Maryland and all its resources. They should have access to comparable resources. Unfortunately the law comes in various degrees of quality and effectiveness dependent on money, but it no way should it be limited due to the lack of money, as is so often the case.
If a statement is being made regarding the privileges of police officers and others who have access to better, more expensive representation compared to the ‘average’ citizen, it should be made in other ways, not hamstringing the system of justice, regardless of its faults. Perhaps the mob should be consulted.
Ditto
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