BALTIMORE SCREWS POOR PEOPLE: PLANS TO GIVE $6.4 MILLION OF TAXPAYER FUNDS TO A THUGS FAMILY ...

One Citizen Speaking...

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BALTIMORE SCREWS POOR PEOPLE: PLANS TO GIVE $6.4 MILLION OF TAXPAYER FUNDS TO A THUGS FAMILY Posted: 09 Sep 2015 12:36 AM PDT Is this a political payoff? How else can you justify an impoverished city to use $6.4 million in taxpayer funds to settle an action where the contributory cause of death remains unknown and no police wrongdoing has been proven? Not only is the settlement offer premature, but it is beyond the realm of reasonability given the circumstances.   Baltimore Settles with Freddie Gray Family for $6.4 Million -- Six police officers - three white, three black - still face criminal charges. The city of Baltimore apparently has reached a $6.4 million wrongful death settlement with the family of Freddie Gray, reports the Associated Press. Gray, who was black, died in April after he suffered a critical spine injury in the back of a prisoner transport van after being arrested. Six Baltimore police officers - three white, three black - face a variety of criminal charges stemming from the death. The settlement still needs the approval of a board that oversees city spending, however. That board meets Wednesday. Source: Baltimore Settles with Freddie Gray Family for $6.4 Million This settlement is both wrong and prejudicial to the criminal trial of six police officers … The settlement will taint the jury pool who may decide that the settlement was made with the knowledge, publicly known or not, that the city was at fault for Gray’s death while in police custody. The settlement was made without any civil action being filed, thus before any facts could be placed in the public record. It is almost a slap in the face to offer a record settlement without any disclosure of the “official” facts. In the State, there appears to be a $400,000 cap on settlements of this type; and all of the settlements of this type thus far do not even approach $6.4 million. A previous settlement for a person shot and killed by the police was $175,000.   So, one might ask why this settlement was made or, better yet, who were the players involved, and why the timing is curious …  There has been some discussion in the media that Freddie Gray allegedly injured himself, possibly to avoid being seen as a snitch or that he deliberately injured himself to force a future civil settlement – something he has been alleged to do prior to the event that ended in his death.  There was also testimony of another person in the van who claimed that Gray sounded like he was going to hurt himself. Therefore, it is quite possible that, knowing that the officers might be acquitted of the most serious charges, the politicians are trying to influence the criminal case – in the worst way possible, by making it look like they know that the officers are guilty and the city is ultimately responsible. This without any facts being placed into evidence, witnesses heard, or a complete forensic picture developed.  Bottom line … I am tired of mealy-mouthed politicians using the people’s money to play racial politics, buy votes, publicity, and acceptance. Perhaps they should pay the tangential police officers who had nothing to do with the situation, one million dollars each since they also suffered from wrongful prosecution -- again, which hasn't been proven. We are so screwed. -- steve