Turmoil in Baltimore continues

After days of violent rioting in a city formerly known as Charm City, Baltimore State Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced charges against six officers in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray. She declared to the city and to the rioters that “I heard your call for ‘no justice, no peace.’”

The announcement of this statement raises questions as to whether the right of the six officers to a due process of law was compromised.

While the long-term implications of Mosby’s announcement are still unclear as the trail progresses, the short-term benefits were evident and constructive. Upon Mosby’s announcement to stop nothing short of justice, the violent rioting and protests turned into jubilant celebration.

The repercussions of Mosby’s words have invited motions on behalf of the defendants for not only a change of venue, but also for the appointment of an independent prosecutor.

If the case were to stay in Baltimore, the members of the jury would have strong motivations not to acquit the officers in fear that their city would go up in flames once again. This would be letting the demonstrators decided something that should be left in the hands of the law.

America has a history of justice by mob rule, primarily in the south, where the threats of lynching and violent demonstrations influenced the outcomes of trials. In the past, it has been largely African Americans that were the victims of mob injustice; however, it is no less serious when the demonstrators are chiefly African American. The denial of due process is still injustice when the demonstrators are demanding equal treatment from the police, as is the case in Baltimore.

Only Mosby knows for what motivated her to charge six officers with crimes ranging from second-degree murder to manslaughter to assault. It is not yet clear what evidence she has to justify these serious charges, considering there is no actual video footage or eyewitness accounts of the death of Freddie Gray. However, the crowd’s influence on Mosby flows from her ill-chosen words, and her call for justice in lieu of the cries from the demonstrators is ridden with injustice for the officers that still have to face the justice system.