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| A year after Freddie Gray, families of others killed by police still seek justice | A year after Freddie Gray, families of others killed by police still seek justice |
| (4 months later) | |
| On 18 July 2013, Tyrone West was approached by officers who said they saw he and a passenger acting suspiciously in the car. Witnesses said they watched in horror as West was pulled from the car by his hair, dragged on the ground, and “beaten to death” by multiple officers as at least one sat on him. The autopsy ruled he had a heart condition exacerbated by the police encounter. | On 18 July 2013, Tyrone West was approached by officers who said they saw he and a passenger acting suspiciously in the car. Witnesses said they watched in horror as West was pulled from the car by his hair, dragged on the ground, and “beaten to death” by multiple officers as at least one sat on him. The autopsy ruled he had a heart condition exacerbated by the police encounter. |
| Charges were never filed. The case occurred just over a year before the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and almost two years before Freddie Gray’s death provoked a city-wide uprising and a vigorous call by state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby for criminal charges against the officers. | Charges were never filed. The case occurred just over a year before the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and almost two years before Freddie Gray’s death provoked a city-wide uprising and a vigorous call by state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby for criminal charges against the officers. |
| A year after Gray’s death, criminal trials to prosecute the officers charged have been prolonged by postponements. And the cases of others killed by Baltimore police have not been taken up by Mosby. | A year after Gray’s death, criminal trials to prosecute the officers charged have been prolonged by postponements. And the cases of others killed by Baltimore police have not been taken up by Mosby. |
| Mosby announced on Thursday that she would not reopen West’s case. “We looked at the prior investigations, and with no new information and no additional information that would contradict the conclusion of the prior administration, I have no intention to reopen [the West] case,” she told the Baltimore Sun. | Mosby announced on Thursday that she would not reopen West’s case. “We looked at the prior investigations, and with no new information and no additional information that would contradict the conclusion of the prior administration, I have no intention to reopen [the West] case,” she told the Baltimore Sun. |
| City councilman Warren Branch had asked the state’s attorney’s office to reopen the cases of West and another unarmed African American man, Anthony Anderson, who died after police body-slammed him to the ground. | City councilman Warren Branch had asked the state’s attorney’s office to reopen the cases of West and another unarmed African American man, Anthony Anderson, who died after police body-slammed him to the ground. |
| Todd Oppenheim, a public defender running for circuit court judge, said of these cases: “They seem like more obvious examples of excessive force and more direct criminal acts, and the nature of the cases where the police are putting their hands directly on civilians you just have a more tangible case of criminal activity.” | Todd Oppenheim, a public defender running for circuit court judge, said of these cases: “They seem like more obvious examples of excessive force and more direct criminal acts, and the nature of the cases where the police are putting their hands directly on civilians you just have a more tangible case of criminal activity.” |
| . . . | . . . |
| Every single Wednesday since West’s death, his family has fiercely protested – in what they call West Wednesdays. | Every single Wednesday since West’s death, his family has fiercely protested – in what they call West Wednesdays. |
| Many of the activists who led protests in Baltimore surrounding the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, which prepared the city for the mass protests that followed Gray’s death, cut their teeth at these protests. | Many of the activists who led protests in Baltimore surrounding the death of Mike Brown in Ferguson, which prepared the city for the mass protests that followed Gray’s death, cut their teeth at these protests. |
| “They got the wrong man but they got the right family,” West’s sister Tawanda Jones, a prominent force behind the protests, often says. | “They got the wrong man but they got the right family,” West’s sister Tawanda Jones, a prominent force behind the protests, often says. |
| Witnesses described numerous officers beating West and sitting on his body | Witnesses described numerous officers beating West and sitting on his body |
| But at the time when West died, his incident didn’t get the same attention as Gray’s. On the night of the incident, an unmarked car stopped West, then 44. Officers Nicholas Chapman and Jorge Bernardez-Ruiz said that West charged Chapman and tried to poke him in the eye. But witnesses said the officers pulled West from the car by his hair and “started beating him and Maced him, he got up and called for help and the cops knocked him over and beat him to death, then tried to bring him back.” | But at the time when West died, his incident didn’t get the same attention as Gray’s. On the night of the incident, an unmarked car stopped West, then 44. Officers Nicholas Chapman and Jorge Bernardez-Ruiz said that West charged Chapman and tried to poke him in the eye. But witnesses said the officers pulled West from the car by his hair and “started beating him and Maced him, he got up and called for help and the cops knocked him over and beat him to death, then tried to bring him back.” |
| Witnesses described numerous officers, including one from Morgan State University, beating West and sitting on his body. They found a small bag of cocaine in his sock. | Witnesses described numerous officers, including one from Morgan State University, beating West and sitting on his body. They found a small bag of cocaine in his sock. |
| The autopsy ruled the cause of death as “cardiac conduction system abnormality complicated by dehydration during police restraint”. | The autopsy ruled the cause of death as “cardiac conduction system abnormality complicated by dehydration during police restraint”. |
| West’s family advocated his case to then state’s attorney Gregg Bernstein, who eventually declined to bring criminal charges against the officers. Though their efforts to bring West’s case to court were not successful, activists believe that they helped get Mosby elected. During her campaign, a central issue was Bernstein’s handling of police brutality allegations. | West’s family advocated his case to then state’s attorney Gregg Bernstein, who eventually declined to bring criminal charges against the officers. Though their efforts to bring West’s case to court were not successful, activists believe that they helped get Mosby elected. During her campaign, a central issue was Bernstein’s handling of police brutality allegations. |
| “It was the family of #TyroneWest that got Bernstein out of office (& @MarilynMosbyEsq in) & it will be the same family to take her out,” Baltimore Bloc, an activist group, recently tweeted. | “It was the family of #TyroneWest that got Bernstein out of office (& @MarilynMosbyEsq in) & it will be the same family to take her out,” Baltimore Bloc, an activist group, recently tweeted. |
| . . . | . . . |
| Anthony Anderson died of broken ribs and a ruptured spleen in what the medical examiner ruled a homicide. The state’s attorney’s office did not bring charges against the officers. | Anthony Anderson died of broken ribs and a ruptured spleen in what the medical examiner ruled a homicide. The state’s attorney’s office did not bring charges against the officers. |
| Three Baltimore City police detectives in an unmarked vehicle approached Anderson in the parking lot of a liquor store, because they believed they saw Anderson make a hand-to-hand drug transaction in September 2012. Officer Todd Strohman later said he saw Anderson pull a bag from his pocket and put it in his mouth, so he ran up behind him, wrapped his arms around him and took him down in a move like a wrestling body-slam that police call “Apex 1”. | Three Baltimore City police detectives in an unmarked vehicle approached Anderson in the parking lot of a liquor store, because they believed they saw Anderson make a hand-to-hand drug transaction in September 2012. Officer Todd Strohman later said he saw Anderson pull a bag from his pocket and put it in his mouth, so he ran up behind him, wrapped his arms around him and took him down in a move like a wrestling body-slam that police call “Apex 1”. |
| The officers said that Anderson spit out heroin capsules. They handcuffed him and said they noticed he was acting strangely. Soon his eyes rolled back in his head. The detectives say they thought he was overdosing. He died of broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. | The officers said that Anderson spit out heroin capsules. They handcuffed him and said they noticed he was acting strangely. Soon his eyes rolled back in his head. The detectives say they thought he was overdosing. He died of broken ribs and a ruptured spleen. |
| “I said to the family this morning, there’s no question Mr Anderson’s death is a tragedy,” Gregg Bernstein, the head prosecutor at the time, said. “But not every tragedy leads to criminal prosecution.” | “I said to the family this morning, there’s no question Mr Anderson’s death is a tragedy,” Gregg Bernstein, the head prosecutor at the time, said. “But not every tragedy leads to criminal prosecution.” |
| Anderson’s family and the city’s activists disagree. “You’re saying that what you did was justified because he was involved in a drug transaction?” Marcus Pettiford, one of Anderson’s sons asked. “How can you explain six broken ribs? He didn’t have six broken ribs or a ruptured spleen before he encountered the police that day.” | Anderson’s family and the city’s activists disagree. “You’re saying that what you did was justified because he was involved in a drug transaction?” Marcus Pettiford, one of Anderson’s sons asked. “How can you explain six broken ribs? He didn’t have six broken ribs or a ruptured spleen before he encountered the police that day.” |
| Pettiford says his father was known as a cook and was especially famous for his pies. He was preparing for a niece’s birthday when he was stopped, had just had foot surgery and was walking with a cane. | Pettiford says his father was known as a cook and was especially famous for his pies. He was preparing for a niece’s birthday when he was stopped, had just had foot surgery and was walking with a cane. |
| “They claimed they saw him at the package goods store engaging in a hand-to-hand transaction but they never went after the person he supposedly had the transaction with to interrogate him, they just followed my father across the parking lot. They killed him in the parking lot. One of the police officers snuck up behind him and hoisted him in the air over his head … and slammed him on his neck and head area.” | “They claimed they saw him at the package goods store engaging in a hand-to-hand transaction but they never went after the person he supposedly had the transaction with to interrogate him, they just followed my father across the parking lot. They killed him in the parking lot. One of the police officers snuck up behind him and hoisted him in the air over his head … and slammed him on his neck and head area.” |
| Other witnesses said they saw officers punching and kicking Anderson, although the officers say that one officer tapped Anderson with his foot to see if he was responsive, a technique that an independent panel reviewing the case called callous and reprehensible. | Other witnesses said they saw officers punching and kicking Anderson, although the officers say that one officer tapped Anderson with his foot to see if he was responsive, a technique that an independent panel reviewing the case called callous and reprehensible. |
| Pettiford said the family is still pursuing a civil suit and hopes that the state’s attorney’s office might reopen the case against the officers. | Pettiford said the family is still pursuing a civil suit and hopes that the state’s attorney’s office might reopen the case against the officers. |
| . . . | . . . |
| In March, a victory in a civil case against the same two officers who were involved in the death against West has brought new hope for some means of accountability. | In March, a victory in a civil case against the same two officers who were involved in the death against West has brought new hope for some means of accountability. |
| He didn’t have six broken ribs or a ruptured spleen before he encountered the police that day | He didn’t have six broken ribs or a ruptured spleen before he encountered the police that day |
| A jury found one of the officers involved in West’s case guilty of assault and false imprisonment in a case with many similarities to West’s. | A jury found one of the officers involved in West’s case guilty of assault and false imprisonment in a case with many similarities to West’s. |
| Abdul Salaam, a youth counselor, was stopped by Bernardez-Ruiz and Chapman two weeks before West was arrested as he pulled into the alley behind his house, with his child in the car. The officers said Salaam was not wearing a seatbelt and talking on a cellphone, but as they pulled him over, they claim Salaam “put the pedal to the metal” as he turned into his driveway 30ft away. They pulled Salaam out of the car by his shift and slammed him to the ground, and then put him in a leg lock very similar to that seen in the video of Freddie Gray’s arrest. Officer Chapman said in court that Salaam tried to slap his hands away and later tried to kick him. | Abdul Salaam, a youth counselor, was stopped by Bernardez-Ruiz and Chapman two weeks before West was arrested as he pulled into the alley behind his house, with his child in the car. The officers said Salaam was not wearing a seatbelt and talking on a cellphone, but as they pulled him over, they claim Salaam “put the pedal to the metal” as he turned into his driveway 30ft away. They pulled Salaam out of the car by his shift and slammed him to the ground, and then put him in a leg lock very similar to that seen in the video of Freddie Gray’s arrest. Officer Chapman said in court that Salaam tried to slap his hands away and later tried to kick him. |
| But Salaam said he had been thrown into a fence several times, hogtied, and then picked up and dropped on his head as his neighbors, three of whom testified, began to gather. | But Salaam said he had been thrown into a fence several times, hogtied, and then picked up and dropped on his head as his neighbors, three of whom testified, began to gather. |
| The jury ultimately found the officers liable and awarded Salaam $70,000. | The jury ultimately found the officers liable and awarded Salaam $70,000. |
| The night after the jury delivered the verdict, Salaam stood with West’s family, at a West Wednesday protest. | The night after the jury delivered the verdict, Salaam stood with West’s family, at a West Wednesday protest. |
| “I never did this for me. I always did this for us,” he said, gesturing towards West’s sister and mother. He says that if his 70-year-old neighbor had not come out, he would have ended up like West. “Two weeks later it reduced me to tears, to my knees, to read an article … that depicted and described the same actions that happened to me.” | “I never did this for me. I always did this for us,” he said, gesturing towards West’s sister and mother. He says that if his 70-year-old neighbor had not come out, he would have ended up like West. “Two weeks later it reduced me to tears, to my knees, to read an article … that depicted and described the same actions that happened to me.” |
| Tawanda Jones sat through Salaam’s case, only feet from the officers who were involved in her brother’s death. “I cried so hard in that courtroom, I had to run out because with the jurors making the right decision, the right step in the right direction without even knowing that these animals killed my brother,” she said. “That they saw what they did to Abdul Salaam and made the right decision.” | Tawanda Jones sat through Salaam’s case, only feet from the officers who were involved in her brother’s death. “I cried so hard in that courtroom, I had to run out because with the jurors making the right decision, the right step in the right direction without even knowing that these animals killed my brother,” she said. “That they saw what they did to Abdul Salaam and made the right decision.” |
| Jones feels that the civil conviction of the same officers in Salaam’s case should be enough to reopen West’s case, noting that had they been suspended or fired after what happened to Salaam, her brother would still be alive. | Jones feels that the civil conviction of the same officers in Salaam’s case should be enough to reopen West’s case, noting that had they been suspended or fired after what happened to Salaam, her brother would still be alive. |
| Despite Mosby’s announcement, Jones is still hopeful. “There’s always hope when I’m fighting for justice for my brother,” she said, promising new information in coming weeks. | Despite Mosby’s announcement, Jones is still hopeful. “There’s always hope when I’m fighting for justice for my brother,” she said, promising new information in coming weeks. |