Freddie Gray Autopsy Deems Death Homicide: Report

Freddie Gray died from an injury after hitting the sides, door or front of a Baltimore Police van where he was not properly restrained, according to an autopsy report provided to The Baltimore Sun, in which the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide.

Gray’s death sparked demonstrations, riots and days of unrest in Baltimore.

The 25-year-old Baltimore man was taken into custody near North and Pennsylvania avenues April 12 after making eye contact with and running from police in a high-crime area.

After he was arrested, Gray asked for an inhaler and made several requests for medical attention during his police van ride, which included four stops, according to Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who said none of the six officers involved in his detainment rendered medical assistance.

Gray, whose wrists were cuffed and legs shackled, was placed on his stomach inside the police van, contrary to Baltimore Police protocol to secure passengers with a seat belt.

By the time the van arrived at the western district precinct, police said Gray was unresponsive and taken to the hospital, where he died a week later.

Six officers have been indicted in connection with Gray’s death, and all have pleaded not guilty, according to the Associated Press.

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The autopsy report leaked to the Sun this week indicates that Gray’s April 19 death was the result of a cervical spine fracture/dislocation, a “high-energy injury most often caused by abrupt deceleration of a rotated head on a hyperflexed neck, such as seen in shallow-water diving incidents.”

Gray was most likely injured between the second and fourth stops in the police van as the vehicle stopped and started, since he could not anticipate the vehicle’s movement based on his position, according to the report.

Because Gray was not properly buckled inside the police van and was not provided with medical attention, the report states the fatal injury could not be ruled an accident; the medical examiner deemed Gray’s death a homicide.

See the report from The Baltimore Sun.

The report has not been released publicly as it is part of court proceedings that have not begun.

Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said that her office did not leak the autopsy report to The Baltimore Sun, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner also told Fox 45 that it did not release the autopsy.

The six officers involved are scheduled to be arraigned in Baltimore City Circuit Court on July 2.

Charges range from misconduct in office to second-degree depraved heart murder, the latter of which only applied to the driver of the van, Caesar Goodson.

Facing lesser charges are Lt. Brian W. Rice, Officer William G. Porter, Officer Edward M. Nero, Officer Edward M. Nero and Sgt. Alicia D. White.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt; all officers are innocent until proven guilty.