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In reply to the discussion: I think the Baltimore cops were cowboying around resulting in the fatal injury to Freddie. [View all]herding cats
(19,564 posts)117. Intentionally hurting another person is malice/malicious by the very definition of the word.
Malice - Definition
1: desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
2: intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse
1: desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another
2: intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse
Now that that's out of the way, they were legally obligated to provide for his safety after taking custody of his person. Which they did not, and instead put him in a situation where their malicious actions appear to have caused his subsequent death. Even if one were to allow that he had sustained some of his injuries before being placed in the back of the van and given the "rough ride" treatment. They were responsible for trying to maintain his safety during the ride.
Then there's the eerily similar incident of 42-year-old Dondi Johnson who was also given the "rough ride" treatment by the Baltimore police to consider.
After his arrival at the hospital, Johnson was interviewed about how he came to be injured. Records say he reported that he was handcuffed and the wagon made a sharp turn, [he] fell, hitting face first and [heard] a pop and blacked out.
In Mr. Johnson's case he was able to speak about how his injury was sustained before he died, which Mr. Gray was not able to do. Which removed any wiggle room from their denial as to the cause. Yet still, even after the malicious actions by the police caused the grievous injury of the man, the "rough ride" treatment still is being used according to those who have been subjected to it. Even though they knew doing so had already resulted in one man being paralyzed and later dying from his injuries sustained in one of those rides. They still were doing it because they want to inflict pain, injury or distress to those they hold power over. Which is what should elevate Mr. Gray's death beyond negligent homicide in my opinion.
My point being, if we don't start holding those in authority to a much higher standard than we have been in the past, and charge them with the crimes they're committing against people they're supposed to be keeping safe, these sort of actions will never stop. It's not enough for the victims and their loved ones to sue, we need to see our legal system prosecute and convict those responsible for the unnecessary, and in the cases of these "rough rides" torturous, harm they're inflicting on citizens.
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I think the Baltimore cops were cowboying around resulting in the fatal injury to Freddie. [View all]
FarPoint
Apr 2015
OP
The malice is where they broke his neck and then left him unstrapped to rough ride him.
bravenak
Apr 2015
#2
a freak accident? try getting knocked off your bike onto pavement and let 4 men crush you down &
Sunlei
Apr 2015
#56
yes, your police are such gentle souls,they never knock anyone to pavement and pile on.
Sunlei
Apr 2015
#63
Someone screams like that and you keep dragging them in cuffs to a van
Warren DeMontague
Apr 2015
#20
"Cowboying Around Hmmm.." It's all good fun right? From Movie Death Proof ....
Katashi_itto
Apr 2015
#16
You keep talking about what you don't see. So what is it, exactly, that you do see?
Brickbat
Apr 2015
#27
Oh, I totally understand! I'm just interested in what you DO see, after all you said you DON'T see:
Brickbat
Apr 2015
#40
Cowboying? No, more like an evil fictional sheriff imposing street justice
HereSince1628
Apr 2015
#28
you can see the neck position of the man, & the extension of one leg as police drag him to the van.
Sunlei
Apr 2015
#44
Punishing someone because you had to chase them would certainly count as 'malicious'. n/t
PoliticAverse
Apr 2015
#46
callous disregard to another person's pain and suffering is malicious. nt
La Lioness Priyanka
Apr 2015
#70
You do realize that was a fucking human being you are discussing so callously in your OP
Number23
Apr 2015
#94
Since Baltimore PD has paid for other cases like this causing paralysis and death
csziggy
Apr 2015
#104
I agree it was malicious but I don't think a charge of intentional murder will ever be made.
randome
Apr 2015
#106
yeah. sorry, i thought you agreed with OP about lack of malice. my bad
La Lioness Priyanka
Apr 2015
#114
Intentionally hurting another person is malice/malicious by the very definition of the word.
herding cats
Apr 2015
#117