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July 9, 2015

Baltimore Mayor Fires Police Chief After Freddie Gray Protests 
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Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has fired the city's police
commissioner in the wake of protests over the death of African-American
resident Freddie Gray in police custody. Rawlings-Blake cited a recent
crime rise and said criticism of Police Commissioner Anthony Batts had
become a "distraction."

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake: "A key goal of my
administration, a primarily focus, is on making Baltimore a safer place.
I think it's important that we understand that we cannot continue to
debate the leadership of the department and think we're going to see the
progress that we want to see in the crime fight. And I think I would say
the commissioner understands that."

Protesters have called for the ouster of Police Commissioner Anthony
Batts over his handling of the death of Freddie Gray, whose family said
his spine was 80 percent severed at the neck when he died after being
arrested and transported without a seat belt in a police van. Six
officers involved have been criminally charged. On Wednesday, the
Baltimore police union issued a review accusing Batts of ordering
officers to allow looting and property destruction during an uprising
over Gray's death, which left 19 buildings burned.

 

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