So Freddie Gray Injured Himself…Really CNN???

It’s been several weeks since the arrest and subsequent death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.  To briefly recap, Gray was apprehended by police officers after he ran upon seeing them.  Cell phone footage shows Gray be lifted up at the arms by cops, and dragged by police officers into a police containment vehicle.  Gray did not appear to be able to hold himself up or walk on his own, and could be heard grunting in pain as he was being carried into the police vessel.  He died several days later in a hospital as a result of the encounter, and the hospital report indicated that his spinal cord was 80% severed.  The police officers involved have been suspended, but they are still being paid.  No charges have been filed.  

The incident, which sparked rioting in the city of Baltimore earlier this week, is another in a long string of Black Men being murdered by police officers, and has kept alive the “Black Lives Matter” movement.  The sad reality is that these occurrences have been going on for centuries, and many more occur than actually garner national attention.  But with the ubiquitous presence of cameras everywhere, White America can no longer say that Black people are exaggerating or making it up.  This doesn’t mean things are going to swiftly change; it just means that it’s harder for police officers and White America to deny.

One thing that hasn’t changed, though, is the attempt to somehow blame the victim by releasing (often circumstantially unrelated or irrelevant) statements, photos, or videos that tarnish the victim’s image.  Today, such a thing occurred.  

This morning I was watching CNN and they reported that a man, who claimed to be arrested and in the same police vehicle as Gray at the time of his arrest, said Gray was intentionally trying to injure himself and may have self-inflicted the wounds that ultimately caused his death.

REALLY???!!!!!

What disturbs me about this report is that it lacks any shred of credibility.  For example, in the same CNN report, they said that this individual could not see Gray because he was on the opposite side of a metal partition in the car.  Furthermore, anyone who has seen the cell phone footage that brought this crime to light knows that once Gray encountered the police, he could no longer walk (i.e. he was already injured prior to being carried into the police vehicle…and possibly further injured after a “Rough Ride”).  This claim by the mystery co-arrestee is utter nonsense and does not qualify as credible or news.

For CNN to air that report on any of its platforms is absolutely negligent.  Every reporter who uttered it should get on air tomorrow and apologize, and whatever producer, director or editor gave the green light for that report to air should be fired immediately with no questions asked.  The same goes for any other “news” institution that airs these claims as well.  It is shameful!!!

-Maelstrom