Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby Explains Decision
Mosby talks on prosecuting officers in death of Freddie Gray
6:45 PM EDT Jul 27, 2016
BALTIMORE —Shortly after the charges were dropped against the remaining officers charged in the police in-custody of Freddie Gray, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby gave an impassioned speech in front of the Freddie Gray Memorial in west Baltimore.
Mosby defended her decision to charge the officers in May 2015. Mosby told 11 News the decision to drop the charges was not an easy one for her and her team.
While many may look at it as a loss for her, she told 11 News in a one-on-one interview that she sees it a different way.
"I have decided not to proceed on the case against Officer Garrett Miller, Sgt. Alicia White or relitigate the case against William Porter," Mosby said.
In the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood where Gray was arrested and with a mural of his memory behind her, Mosby announced she will not try the three remaining cases surrounding Gray's death, saying the deck was stacked against her. She cited the following reasons: a judge did not see the evidence that her office did and push back from the Baltimore City Police Department.
"There was a reluctance and an obvious bias consistently exemplified, not by the entire Baltimore police force, but by individuals within the Baltimore Police Department at every stage of the investigation," Mosby said.
During 11 News' one-on-one interview, Mosby said, "We are up against a system that, unfortunately was against us."
Mosby explained why she and her office made the decision, which she said was a difficult one.
"We're ready to proceed in these cases, and it was a matter of, 'Is this in the best interest of the city? Is this in the best interest in justice for Freddie Gray?'" Mosby said.
Ultimately, Mosby and her staff felt dropping the charges would still be the best way to continue reforms within the police department despite not getting a conviction.
Mosby was asked about her critics that said all along that she made a rush to judgement. She said the evidence in the medical examiner’s report was the tipping point.
"When she came back and determined that it was a homicide, that's all that we needed. We had all the officers' admissions, so we had a story and a timeline as to how the incident occurred. There was nothing else that they found, even after the fact the charges were filed the counter what we did initially," Mosby said.
Mosby also said things are a lot more transparent in the police department than when this all started, citing new protocols when it comes to arrests, the implementation of body cameras and training wagon drivers.
"There are so many things. Although we did not get the verdict, we still were able to pursue justice, and we were in a much better place than we were 14 months ago. That's not to say that it's the best, but we have a lot of work to do, and now is the time to do it," Mosby said.
Mosby also wanted to make it clear that she felt the current police administration led by Commissioner Kevin Davis has been cooperative to work with going forward.
She also still stood by her original statement 14 months ago that she believes Gray’s death was a homicide.
6:45 PM EDT Jul 27, 2016
BALTIMORE —Shortly after the charges were dropped against the remaining officers charged in the police in-custody of Freddie Gray, Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby gave an impassioned speech in front of the Freddie Gray Memorial in west Baltimore.
Mosby defended her decision to charge the officers in May 2015. Mosby told 11 News the decision to drop the charges was not an easy one for her and her team.
While many may look at it as a loss for her, she told 11 News in a one-on-one interview that she sees it a different way.
"I have decided not to proceed on the case against Officer Garrett Miller, Sgt. Alicia White or relitigate the case against William Porter," Mosby said.
In the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood where Gray was arrested and with a mural of his memory behind her, Mosby announced she will not try the three remaining cases surrounding Gray's death, saying the deck was stacked against her. She cited the following reasons: a judge did not see the evidence that her office did and push back from the Baltimore City Police Department.
"There was a reluctance and an obvious bias consistently exemplified, not by the entire Baltimore police force, but by individuals within the Baltimore Police Department at every stage of the investigation," Mosby said.
During 11 News' one-on-one interview, Mosby said, "We are up against a system that, unfortunately was against us."
Mosby explained why she and her office made the decision, which she said was a difficult one.
"We're ready to proceed in these cases, and it was a matter of, 'Is this in the best interest of the city? Is this in the best interest in justice for Freddie Gray?'" Mosby said.
Ultimately, Mosby and her staff felt dropping the charges would still be the best way to continue reforms within the police department despite not getting a conviction.
Mosby was asked about her critics that said all along that she made a rush to judgement. She said the evidence in the medical examiner’s report was the tipping point.
"When she came back and determined that it was a homicide, that's all that we needed. We had all the officers' admissions, so we had a story and a timeline as to how the incident occurred. There was nothing else that they found, even after the fact the charges were filed the counter what we did initially," Mosby said.
Mosby also said things are a lot more transparent in the police department than when this all started, citing new protocols when it comes to arrests, the implementation of body cameras and training wagon drivers.
"There are so many things. Although we did not get the verdict, we still were able to pursue justice, and we were in a much better place than we were 14 months ago. That's not to say that it's the best, but we have a lot of work to do, and now is the time to do it," Mosby said.
Mosby also wanted to make it clear that she felt the current police administration led by Commissioner Kevin Davis has been cooperative to work with going forward.
She also still stood by her original statement 14 months ago that she believes Gray’s death was a homicide.
No comments:
Post a Comment