Black 18-year-old has higher bail than killer cops?

Dear Higher Learning Network,

In the past few days, Baltimore law enforcement stepped up their militarized violence against protesters. Courageous Black folks and their allies calling for an end to centuries of structural racism and discriminatory policing were met with pepper spray, beatings and unjust arrest. ¹ And while all 6 officers who killed Freddie Gray are out of jail, many protesters are languishing in overcrowded, inhumane jail cells facing unjust criminal charges and outrageous bail.
Will you join nearly 30,000 ColorOfChange members urging State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby to drop the charges against all protesters?
Since the tragic police killing of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, more than 300 people have been arrested for protesting. Among them is Allen Bullock, an 18-year-old facing a $500,000 bail and 8 criminal counts — that carry a life sentence — for smashing the windows of a police car.² Allen's family urged him to turn himself in, but in the context of a justice system that values property over Black lives and disproportionally treats Black youth more harshly than their white counterparts, Allen faces no mercy.
The same racist and violent Baltimore policing culture that killed Freddie has fueled the recent abuse of protesters. In a harrowing video released this weekend, police are seen pepper-spraying a Black protester point blank and then brutally dragging him across the street by his dreadlocks.³ White people protesting the same unconstitutional curfew instead received a 5-minute-warning.⁴ Police also arrested 10 legal observers who were documenting human rights abuses by law enforcement.⁵
Protesters are not criminals. Urge State's Attorney Mosby to drop the charges against protesters and focus the city's resources on preventing violent and discriminatory policing.
Thanks and peace,
— Rashad
References
1. "A Bloody History of Police Brutality in Baltimore," The Root 05-04-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4799?t=4&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5
2. "Cops Who Murdered Freddie Gray Released On Bail, Protester Still Stuck In Jail (VIDEO)," ReverbPress 05-04-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4800?t=6&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5
3. "Balt Police caught treating peaceful protesters diff based on race/or content of speech," SCT LAW Tweet 05-03-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4801?t=8&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5
4. "White protestors politely asked to leave, black protestor pepper sprayed and dragged away," BoingBoing 05-04-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4802?t=10&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5
5. "Baltimore’s Refusal to Permit Legal Observers to Witness Police Enforcing Curfew Resulted in Mass Arrest," FireDogLake 05-04-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4803?t=12&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5

---

Dear Higher,
Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby has just charged all six officers involved in the brutal killing of Freddie Gray. In her announcement, Mosby acknowledged that Gray had been stopped illegally and stated, "I heard your calls for no justice, no peace." The officers face charges ranging from second-degree murder to misconduct in office.¹
This is a big deal. Local prosecutors almost never hold local law enforcement accountable and Mosby’s leadership in this moment should be greatly applauded.² For more than two weeks, Gray's family and the community of Baltimore have called for answers and accountability for Gray's killing and today’s definitive action brings us a major step closer to justice. But there is a long road ahead before these officers are fully convicted and the underlying issues that lead to Gray's killing overturned. State's Attorney Mosby will need the support and resources necessary to fully prosecute and convict effectively without interference.
State's Attorney Mosby is already facing opposition from the police union for charging the six officers who killed Freddie Gray. Show your support by thanking her today. Once you do, ask your friends and family to do the same.

Our hearts and minds are with the Gray family. Although we hope today's charges will help them breathe a little bit easier and ultimately lead to the answers and accountability they deserve, Freddie Gray should have never died. There is no legal process or reform that can bring him back. The loss and injustice inflicted on Black families by Baltimore's long history of violence, racism and corruption in law enforcement has been devastating. In 2014, all of the people killed by Baltimore police were Black. And over the past 5 years, the city has paid millions to people injured and paralyzed by the police "rough rides."³
State's Attorney Mosby has done what so many local prosecutors across the country have failed to do. While thousands of Black people are unjustly arrested and funneled into the criminal justice system every day — the vast majority for minor charges — ⁴ local prosecutors almost never charge violent and abusive police. Most police brutality cases never even make it past the report. And even when cops are indicted, only one police officer for every 1,000 people killed by police are ultimately convicted.⁵ Today's charges are a direct result of the brave, courageous efforts of Black folks and their allies to demand justice for Freddie Gray. Baltimore law enforcement who tried to cover up Gray's killing and blame him for his death must be held accountable.⁶
Following news of Gray's murder, the Gray family and the people of Baltimore came together to envision and demand justice and change in the face of grave tragedy. More than 50,000 ColorOfChange members raised their voices urging Governor Hogan to stop militarizing police and order Attorney General Frosh to support the prosecution. In the past week, hundreds of people have been targeted and unjustly arrested for protesting, many who continue to languish in jail, including an 19-year-old facing 8 criminal charges and an outrageous $500,000 bail.⁷ As we continue the work to overhaul Baltimore law enforcement and the conditions, power imbalances and discrimination that led to Freddie Gray’s killing, we urge State's Attorney Mosby to drop the charges against all protesters.
Thank State's Attorney Mosby for charging the police officers who killed Freddie Gray and urge her to drop all charges against protesters.
Thanks and peace,
— Rashad, Matt, Arisha, Lyla, Shani, and the rest of the ColorOfChange team
May 1st, 2015

Help support our work. ColorOfChange.org is powered by YOU—your energy and dollars. We take no money from lobbyists or large corporations that don't share our values, and our tiny staff ensures your contributions go a long way.

References

1. "Six officers charged in death of Freddie Gray" The Baltimore Sun 05-01-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4793?t=18&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5

2. "Darren Wilson Is Not an Outlier: Why cops are almost never indicted for shooting someone in the line of duty." Slate 12-02-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4794?t=20&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5

3. "Baltimore's "rough rides": the city has paid out millions to people injured in police vans," Vox, 04-28-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4786?t=22&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5

4. "The War on Marijuana in Black and White: Billions of Dollars Wasted on Racially Biased Arrests" ACLU June 2013
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4795?t=24&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5

5. "New study: For every 1,000 people killed by police, one officer is convicted of a crime" Daily Kos,04-18-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4796?t=26&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5

6. "Freddie Gray's co-prisoner disputes police report published in Washington Post," Politico 04-30-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4798?t=28&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5

7. "Baltimore imposes bail bonds of half a million dollars in legal crackdown," The Guardian 04-29-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/4797?t=30&akid=4348.1963344.5VviF5