Prisoner in van said Freddie Gray was ‘banging against the walls’ during ride

[underpants]

Source: Washington Post

BALTIMORE — A prisoner sharing a police transport van with Freddie Gray told investigators that he could hear Gray “banging against the walls” of the vehicle and believed that he “was intentionally trying to injure himself,” according to a police document obtained by The Washington Post.

The prisoner, who is currently in jail, was separated from Gray by a metal partition and could not see him. His statement is contained in an application for a search warrant, which is sealed by the court. The Post was given the document under the condition that the prisoner not be named because the person who provided it feared for the inmate’s safety.

The document, written by a Baltimore police investigator, offers the first glimpse of what might have happened inside the van. It is not clear whether any additional evidence backs up the prisoner’s version, which is just one piece of a much larger probe.


Jason Downs, one of the attorneys for the Gray family, said the family had not been told of the prisoner’s comments to investigators.

“We disagree with any implication that Freddie Gray severed his own spinal cord,” Downs said




----this is prime #1 story on Fox News. Mark Fuhrman in on TV nodding in agreement



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/prisoner-in-van-said-freddie-gray-was-banging-against-the-walls-during-ride/2015/04/29/56d7da10-eec6-11e4-8666-a1d756d0218e_story.html?hpid=z1

[DonCoquixote]

1. wow

they are attempting to lay it on thick, meanwhile everyone belives the "injuries" the cops got, oh that's right, they did not.

[underpants]

5. Hannity went to split screen with footage of 2 nights ago

Elijah Cummings is on the street... to boring I guess - cut to helicopter shots of fire and handcuffed guys sitting on a curb.

Literally fanning the flames.

[ciaobaby]

44. As did MSNBC

Today I thought I would lose my mind, MSNBC also was running a split screen of footage 2 nights ago. FOX lite anyone ????

[geomon666]

2. How much time did this guy get off his sentence

for saying this bullshit?

[rpannier]

3. Be curious if he even exists right now

They may be looking for someone to make the claim as we speak

[underpants]

8. Bingo

Spot on.

[Dont call me Shirley]

15. My first thought.

[hedda_foil]

21. Yup. My first thought too.

It's a shame that we haveave gotten to the point of reading between the lines almost automatically.

[Dont call me Shirley]

24. Some of us anyway. It will take the majority reading between the lines before major change

can occur.

[KingCharlemagne]

66. It will take the majority concluding it has nothing further to lose before major change

can occur.

Same as it ever was.

[Dont call me Shirley]

75. We are quickly approaching that threshold

[leftynyc]

54. My very first thought

Let's see how this "witness" comes through the system.

[MosheFeingold]

68. Had the same question

That said, given he couldn't see him, someone getting slammed around a van would sound like someone slamming himself around a van, I would think. Doesn't prove anything one way or the other.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. He couldn't see him but believes that Gray was intentionally trying to hurt himself?

" Batts has said officers repeatedly ignored Gray’s pleas for medical help and failed to secure him with a safety belt or harness in the back of the transport van."

Gee.

[bluestateguy]

6. Oh here we go

The pro-police news leaks begins the process of blaming the murder victim.

Just watch.

[SoapBox]

49. Agreed.

[uppityperson]

7. uh. huh. eom

[brooklynite]

9. FWIW this is also leading story on MSNBC.

[OldRedneck]

10. I'm reminded of a story from the Mississippi Delta

The body of a black man was fished out of a bayou, wrapped in heavy chains.

Observing the body being pulled out of the water, a sheriff's deputy commented: "Ain't that just like a n##### -- steal more chain than he can swim with."

Things never change.

[underpants]

14. Yes

Exactly.

[rurallib]

11. 2 or 3 weeks later a surprising development that exonerates the police

is suddenly discovered? Sure, I believe it. What's not to believe?

[Neurotica]

12. MSNBC-reporter on now from WBAL-TV says this isn't true

Jayne Miller said that Gray was alone for a good amount of time before the second prisoner was added to the van (didn't hear exact amount of time) and that the second prisoner was only in there for about 5 minutes, and that Gray was already unresponsive at that point.

[Buzz Clik]

17. Too late. The knuckledraggers are already celebrating.

[Neurotica]

25. I know. Expected but still disturbing. n/t

[underpants]

19. Thanks

I have to say having lived in Baltimore one year (1998) the press there is tough. The city is really tough.

[Neurotica]

27. Reporter said they have had to work really hard on this one to get through all the misinformation.

Unfortunately, the misinformation seems to be what the media is featuring, without caveats.

About to read the Washington Post story to see if they happened to give this new "news" the asterisk it deserved.

[phleshdef]

32. Is there a link for that... I could use it right about now.

[Neurotica]

34. She was on Lawrence O'Donnell--no transcript yet but here's something that may help

This is a link to an NBC news article that just mentions the fact that reporter Jayne Miller says this new supposed information doesn't match their reporting. I'm sure more stories will be popping up within the next hour or so.

And I did read the WP article and it lacks fact-checking. I hope that they update and provide more context. Of course, it's great for them for click-bait, so maybe context doesn't matter so much...

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/baltimore-unrest/report-freddie-gray-hurt-himself-police-van-n350831

[LibertyLover]

63. I'll go with Jayne Miller -

she's a local reporter with great credentials and experience. We watch her on the local evening news because she's good.

[Neurotica]

35. Jayne Miller now on Chris Hayes (n/t)

[liberal from boston]

43. Lawrence O'Donnell

Lawrence O'Donnell interview w/Jayne Miller: http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/what-really-happened-in-the-police-van--436759107717

[rpannier]

13. He was reaching for his waistband at the time

I

[Buzz Clik]

18. Had a gun hidden in his afro.

[rpannier]

31. Maybe a hammer

Hit himself in the spine several times.
Kind of like the handcuffed guy who shot himself

[Buzz Clik]

36. Actually, that was a Black Panther George Jackson reference from 1971

Jackson was killed by guards, supposedly attempting to escape with a handgun hidden in his afro.

[rpannier]

38. I hadn't heard that before

Interesting
I guess with the hair shorter they have to resort to waistband

[Buzz Clik]

40. It was ridiculous even then.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

59. he used his hidden cell phone for more leverage.

Don't those folks even think about how stupid they sound with such lame "explanations?" Then again, that is red meat for their ilk. Their ilk being Tea baggers, racists, neocons, and PNACers.

[DallasNE]

16. Really?

When Freddie Gray was taken to the transport van his legs were totally limp as though he was already paralyzed. And the location of the spinal cord injury suggests his upper body may have been compromised as well. If that is the case then there is no way this story can be true. Lastly, a banging of this nature would have caused bruises and I have seen or heard nothing of the kind. Could this prisoner be trading a story for a lighter charge?

This story suggests that Gray committed suicide.

[underpants]

22. Beyond a reach

Snapping your own spine - maybe 3 times - in a moving van is a bit muddy in probability.

[Alittleliberal]

37. I feel like you would knock yourself out

before you could snap your spin unless you were already seriously fucked up.

[FarPoint]

51. I think so too.

This self inflicted nonsense won't pass the smell test.

[Suji to Seoul]

20. Far fetched. Seems inplausible. Someone's getting better treatment in jail now.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

23. Or maybe he was having one or more seizures?

If indeed he was 'banging' on the 'wall'.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

26. Yeahhhh riiggghhht

[mainstreetonce]

28. I think

The prisoner said he " charged"

[kath]

42. Yeah, that's it, he charged. He was like a demon!

[elleng]

29. WBAL reporter said, on MSNBC, such is inconsistent with facts/timeline.

2d passenger/arrestee in van only 5 minutes during Gray's 30? minute ride, and when 2d passenger entered van, other passenger, Gray, was silent.

[greyl]

39. Jayne Miller will not let this story get a free pass.

Been watching WBAL streaming, and looked like she was serious about repeating the evidence and calling out the bullshit.

[underpants]

71. Yep she was all over the place including Morning Joe

I flipped on to MSNBC to hear "Thanks Jayne". Silence. Joe didn't know what to say, Mika broke the silence by mentioning all the settlements of the last few years, and crusty old newsman Mike Barnacle just shook his head. He and Joe fumbled over their tongues trying to say something and ended up just agreeing that they had no idea what to say.

[onecaliberal]

30. He was not restrained for safety so he could

Have been banging against the wall when they were driving him around.

[Taitertots]

33. On an application for a search warrant? Why a search warrant application?

[leftynyc]

55. I just heard

the search warrant is for the uniform of one of the officers. They're looking for Mr. Gray's DNA on it. How that plays into this ridiculous theory that he hurt himself, I have no idea.

[ALBliberal]

41. Trayvon used a sidewalk to attack Zimmerman...Michael Brown

Riddled with bullets apparently charged Wilson and made him fear for his life! Now we are to believe Freddie Gray severed his own spinal cord. Ridiculous and very sad that the media gives these false scenarios the time of day even sadder that the gullible American public (and juries) can believe this nonsense.

[mountain grammy]

45. +1000

[BrotherIvan]

48. + a billion

[deutsey]

57. The American public has been fed such a steady diet of steaming bullshit

for such a long time that it has come to crave it.

[ALBliberal]

60. yep

[KingCharlemagne]

67. Tell me again: who is the current owner of the Washington Post? A person of tbe

people, you say, a denizen of the 99%?

[freshwest]

74. Yes, the media is running with nonsense. Those horrible injuries were not from the van. n/t

[6000eliot]

46. Who could have predicted this attempt by the media to muddy the waters

about what "really happened? The whole narrative is all so depressingly predictable.

[herding cats]

47. Think people.

He was handcuffed and had leg shackles on. He was not in any sort of safety restraint, i.e. seat belt. If he wanted to harm himself he cold, possibly bang his head until he had a concussion, but that would also mean he'd have the signs of said repetitive wounds. In the same place, etc. Have any of you, even one of you, ever heard of a person severing their own spine while in handcuffs and leg shackles in a form of self wounding? Ever? I know I've not ever heard of such, and I don't plan on buying this BS now.

Honestly, you'd have to be someone wanting to believe he was a psychotic monster, below any human recognition, to even consider something like this. It's that non feasible.

I find this sickening and beyond an sort of reasonable explanation. If any form of news media even entertains such an excuse then they're not a viable source of information. Period.

[FarPoint]

50. I'm wanting to know how the inside of a police van looks like...

I can't visualize a set of walls separating passengers....????

[JonLP24]

53. They have them

I was transported in a caged box in the back of a van to MCSO. I couldn't move freely at all, I'm pretty sure I was laying down but it was a few years ago so I can't quite remember but I'm pretty sure I wasn't standing or sitting, it was the most claustaphobic ride I ever been on. There was a woman with me, she was in her boxed cage to where I couldn't see her at all. I don't know if it was the same kind of van because I never been on anything like that I imagined. It wasn't the kind of police van where everybody is sitting down on the back.

What happened was possession of marijuana, I did a not guilty because the stop was very iffy -- no probable cause but was a "terry stop" but to spare the details lawyer accidentally wrote 15 instead of the 5th, I could see he tried to cross out the 1 but it was straight down the line so I didn't notice it off-hand. Got a warrant, was transported in caged box from Mesa police station to Maricopa County Jail with the female inmate to in-processing. Like I said, most claustophobic ride I ever been on. I couldn't see outside well to tell where I was to see if I was arriving there soon or not. Thankfully he was driving pretty normal.

Not sure the name of the type of the van to look for to show pictures or even if it is the same kind of van they put Freddie Gray in but a van like that exists though with somewhat of an extreme.

[FarPoint]

61. Thank you for the information.

I imagined an open inside type of van with benches to sit on....I never thought of it being a confined space.

[gwheezie]

52. he may have been dying

And trying to get the attention of the police. No one is denying he was begging for medical treatment. God that poor man. What if he was desperately trying to get anyone to help him. This makes me sick.

[Optical.Catalyst]

56. Next news item will be a "leaked" toxicology report on Freddie Gray

They will find Mr. Gray was under the influence of some previously unknown (but very powerful) synthetic marijuana.

[Gothmog]

58. This story is bogus

[underpants]

62. Yes. When I heard it last night my jaw dropped

I posted it because I knew it would be THE story of the morning. Fox News was practically stomping on their desks announcing this - the rest of MSM surely to follow.

[heaven05]

64. Insulting

intelligent, logical, rational people again. Slowly, with ever increasing speed, we turn into a militarized fascist police state. A COUNTRY where they can say anything about their executions and murders of unarmed citizens and exonerate themselves completely, gleefully. I can see them tapping glasses as they all agree, "that's the story". Clink, clink, clink........

[KingCharlemagne]

70. As long as like-minded folks like us have the internet we can at least validate

one another's bullshit meters. I'll be using any publication of this story or its iterations to weed out stealth right wingers on my various social media lists. Anyone who posts this stuff as credible deserves no place in my life nor in my consciousness.

[blm]

65. WaPost - the goto stenographer for the powerful elites.

.

[underpants]

69. WaPo - NYT - Fox News --> "Clinton Cash" PR team

This is really embarrassing for them to have run this story. And the released it at 10pm just as the curfew hit so it was the first thing people saw when they turned on the TV.

[Matariki]

72. Either BS, or he was banging on the wall because he needed medical attention.

[bigworld]

73. If this is true the police STILL should have gotten him medical attention

[diabeticman]

76. Is it wrong for me to ask these 2 questions?

Was this prisoner strapped in the van properly?

What is the prisoner's race and record?