BALTIMORE | The family of Freddie Gray, who died after being critically injured in police custody, reached a tentative $6.4 million wrongful death settlement with the city of Baltimore, resolving civil claims about a week after the first hearing in the criminal case against six police officers, officials said Tuesday.
Six Baltimore police officers face criminal charges stemming from Gray’s death. Gray, who was black, was critically injured April 12 in the back of a prisoner transport van after he was arrested. His death sparked protests, rioting and unrest that shook Baltimore for days.
The settlement still needs the approval of a board that oversees city spending. That board meets Wednesday.
“The proposed settlement agreement going before the board of estimates should not be interpreted as a judgment on the guilt or innocence of the officers facing trial,” Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a news release. “This settlement is being proposed solely because it is in the best interest of the city, and avoids costly and protracted litigation that would only make it more difficult for our city to heal and potentially cost taxpayers many millions more in damages.”
The settlement does not resolve any factual disputes, and expressly does not constitute an admission of liability on the part of the city, its police department or any of the officers. The settlement has nothing whatsoever to do with the criminal proceedings, the press release said.
Detective Donny Moses, a Baltimore Police Department spokesman, said the agency’s public affairs staff was under direct orders not to comment on the proposed settlement.
“It really is not a police department matter,” he said, referring questions to the city solicitor’s office.
Initial police reports said Gray was arrested with a knife, though whether Gray was legally carrying that knife is sure to be a centerpiece of the case as it moves to trial. Prosecutors say it’s legal under a city ordinance, while defense attorneys argue that it’s a switchblade, and thus illegal under both city and state law.
All six officers, including Edward Nero and Garrett Miller, are charged with second-degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. Lt. Brian Rice, Sgt. Alicia White and Officer William Porter also face a manslaughter charge, while Officer Caesar Goodson faces the most serious charge of all: second-degree “depraved-heart” murder.
Three of the officers are black and three are white.
Let the criminal case begins. Freddie Gray did nothing illegal, was stopped due to profiling, and was arrested without cause. Now, I would like the officers and the State to explain how they are not criminally negligent, if not culpable for homicide, for his death. An innocent man died while under their custody and control.
They have been stressing that black lives matter. Are these folks going to set the value of $6.4 million on the life of every drug dealer, and activist-demonstrator from now on. Must believe money does grow on a tree in Washington, or that printing press still had not run of ink and paper, to print more money. There is not enough currency on the market now, to pay off national debt of USA, let alone all the other countries who have debts. Lot of paper floating out there on trust only, and none of us trust anything or anyone, in this 21st Century. Rather ridiculous to set this amount, on someone who was not working at any discernible job, with a salary, or hourly wage. I am confused by this. Thought I understood economy, banking, and funding until about 2000. Been confusing ever since, though it has escalated before that too.
Frank, you need to learn more about this case. Mr. Gray committed no crime. He died in a police van. Try not to let your pre-conceived notions of race cloud the facts of THIS case.