20 May, 2015 17:47

Unseen video reveals new details about Freddie Gray's fatal journey in police van

A new video of Freddie Gray, who died of fatal spinal injuries in police custody in April, has been released by the Baltimore Sun, in what is believed to be a key moment in his fatal encounter with the police.

It shows that the van in which Gray was being held stopped on the corner of Baker Street and Mount Street while Gray is dragged face down, so he is half out of the van with his legs dangling off the back while four officers put shackles round his ankles. A fifth officer then also arrives on the scene.

They also place flex cuffs on him before shoving him back into the van, head first on his stomach, and continuing their journey to the booking center.The video also shows that Gray was not wearing a seatbelt while be driven around in the van and this was likely one the reasons for his death.

The video was shot by one of Michelle Gross’ neighbors. Gross, who witnessed Gray’s actual arrest as well, has become a key witness in the case.

This was one of four stops the van would make while on its way to the booking center. Officers also completed their paperwork while the van was stopped unnecessarily.

As well as the cell phone video shot by Gross’ neighbor, there is also footage from 16 surveillance cameras along the route and at the point of arrest. These were initially posted on YouTube by police but the footage shot by the camera on the corner of Baker and Mount has since been removed, with no explanation given.

Prior to the latest video, most of the footage had been of Gray’s actual arrest. This showed officers pinning Gray to the ground, and then dragging him to the van. One witness says he saw officers kneeing Gray in the backside of his torso while he screams for his life, but the police insist that Gray was arrested “without force.”

Questions remain about why Gray was chased by police in the first place, how his spine was injured and why he was not given medical attention as soon as he asked for it.

Marilyn Mosby, the state’s attorney for Baltimore, said Gray wasn’t doing anything illegal when he was chased by officers and has charged the six officers who arrested him and took him to the booking center with his death. She says that it was the injuries Gray sustained while shackled but unbuckled in the back of the police wagon that led to his death.

Lieutenant Brian Rice, the highest-ranking officer involved in the incident, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment.Officer Goodson, who was driving the van, is charged with the most serious offenses in Gray’s death, including second degree depraved-heart murder.