The Baltimore Sun is reporting that all six officers in the Freddie Gray case are out on bail.
All six police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray were released from the Central Booking and Intake Center downtown Friday night after posting bail, court records show.
The four officers facing felony charges posted $350,000 bails; the two facing misdemeanors posted $250,000 bails.
Contrast this with Leslie Salzillo's excellent diary yesterday:
Public Defender Describes Vile And Illegal Conditions Of Baltimore Citizens Being Held In Jail.
As of yesterday, protestors, rioters and those who broke curfew had been detained in filthy, overcrowded conditions for days. Basic necessities like water and medical attention were being withheld. Many were being detained without any formal charges being laid.
Knowing all of this, I was still not prepared for what I saw when I arrived. The small concrete booking cells were filled with hundreds of people, most with more than ten people per cell. Three of us were sent to the women's side where there were up to 15 women per holding cell. Most of them had been there since Monday afternoon/evening. With the exception of 3 or 4 women, the women who weren't there for Monday's round-ups were there for freaking curfew violations. Many had not seen a doctor or received required medication. Many had not been able to reach a family member by phone. But here is the WORST thing. Not only had these women been held for two days and two nights without any sort of formal booking, BUT ALMOST NONE OF THEM HAD ACTUALLY BEEN CHARGED WITH ANYTHING. They were brought to CBIF via paddy wagons (most without seat belts, btw--a real shocker after all that's happened), and taken to holding cells without ever being charged with an actual crime. No offense reports. No statements of probable cause. A few women had a vague idea what they might be charged with, some because of what they had actually been involved in, and some because of what the officer said, but quite a few had no idea why they were even there. Incidentally, I interviewed no one whose potential charges would have been more serious than petty theft, and most seemed to be disorderly conduct or failure to obey, charges which would usually result in an immediate recog/release.
And then there is this:
Roselyn Michelle Roberts, a 43-year-old grandmother, faced two charges of fourth-degree theft and burglary. The court heard that Roberts suffered from manic depression and earned around $60 a week babysitting her grandchild. The state’s attorney argued for a $50,000 bail. Judge Owens revised the figure to $100,000 citing two pending cases against her and a record of eight prior convictions.
The court heard how Antonio Jackson, a father of one who works as a warehouse labourer, was allegedly caught with a pair of tennis shoes still with their price tag. He was not arrested at the scene of looting and his public defender argued he would lose his job if not released. The state’s attorney requested $50,000 bail. This was revised by Judge Owens to $100,000, who cited a single occasion when Jackson failed to appear at a scheduled court date.
And this:
The 18-year-old pictured smashing a police car with a traffic cone, in one of the defining images of the Baltimore riots, is being held on half a million dollars’ bail and may face years in jail after his stepfather persuaded him to turn himself in to authorities.
You read this right. The six officers charged in Gray's excruciating
death received speedier due process than people who stole tennis shoes and stayed out past curfew. And all six had bail amounts $150k to $250k
lower than an 18 year old who turned himself in after smashing a car window.
7:01 AM PT: "Raw Story" is now running with this as well (you saw it here on DKos first, though). Hopefully it will gain traction. The citizens of Baltimore deserve justice every bit as fair and speedy as the police officers charged in this case.