They Killed Freddie Gray
The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up
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- $21.99
Publisher Description
Based on new evidence and deep reporting, the riveting truth about a case that has become a touchstone in the struggle for racial justice and Black lives.
They Killed Freddie Gray exposes a conspiracy among Baltimore leaders to cover up what actually happened to Freddie Gray, who was fatally injured in police custody in April 2015. After Gray’s death, Baltimore became ground zero for Black Lives Matter and racial justice protests that exploded across the country. State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby became a hero when she charged six officers in Gray’s death, and the trials of the officers generated national headlines for two years.
Yet the cause of Gray’s death has remained a mystery. A viral video showed an officer leaning on Gray’s back while he cried out in pain. But the autopsy concluded he was fatally injured later that morning while the van was in motion—during a multi-stop “rough ride”—from sudden impact to his head. None of the officers were convicted of any crimes based on this theory.
They Killed Freddie Gray solves the mystery of Gray’s death by uncovering new evidence of how he was killed by police and how his cause of death was covered up. In coordination with a documentary film now being produced, this book revisits a pivotal moment in US criminal justice history, providing new insight into what happened, the historical structures of power that allowed it to happen, and the personalities and dynamics involved—a story never told by the mainstream media. It includes a detailed map with annotations by the author, photographs, and a foreword by Rabia Chaudry.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Journalist Barron debuts with an impassioned account of the circumstances behind 25-year-old Freddie Gray's death while in the custody of Baltimore police in 2015. Barron argues that Gray's death was the result of the violent assault by arresting officers and not, as the police claim, due to self-inflicted injuries or the failure to secure him during his transport to the police station. A relentless researcher, Barron draws on interviews with Gray's neighbors and witnesses to his initial arrest, as well the state's attorney office's investigative file, forensic evidence reports, and law enforcement personnel records. She debunks the Baltimore police department's account in meticulous, point-by-point detail, alleging that a cover-up orchestrated by political leaders, police administrators, and the federal Department of Justice protected the wrongdoers. Six officers were arrested, facing charges ranging from assault to second-degree murder; none were found guilty. Barron uncovers suppressed evidence, such as video recordings and witness testimony, that she asserts would have made convictions more likely if it had been shown to the public or at the trials. Barron's writing is powered by outrage over Gray's death and the failure to hold anyone accountable. Readers will be troubled.