Medical experts say Gray could have injured his spine when he was arrested and that injury could have worsened in the van through even an inadvertent bump, turn or stop.
That word, inadvertent. I do not think it means what you think it means.
I’m reminded of a technique that our Judo instructor tried to teach the class one day. Basically, it involves getting a firm, high grip on your opponent’s collar and (while ostensibly trying to adjust your grip) twisting your hand into their head, basically in a punching motion. He explained that many people in the competitive circuit do this; mostly because there’s no rules expressly prohibiting it and it’s very difficult for the referee to call out. When players are called out on it, it’s very easy to deny it.
There are loads of other ways an experienced Judo player can add pain to the experience; an extra twist of the wrist here, a firm knuckle pressed there…
I imagine shit like this happens all the time while making arrests.
The Baltimore Sun is doing an excellent job with their coverage. It seems they are casting a wider net to get many sides of this story rather than focusing on one angle or another. Much appreciated.
Gray could have injured his spine when he was arrested
He could have kicked himself in the side of the head, or thrown himself violently at the ground, or twisted his neck with a muscular spasm. Or something like that.
People often do that sort of thing to make police look bad.
I hear people break their own ribs sneezing all the time, Commissioner.
That said, I struggle to see how rattling helplessly around within the back of a van could inflict the “crushed
voice box” mentioned in the autopsy, which is more compatible with the toe of a boot.
I would be really surprised if it were this subtle. I’d bet it’s more of a “there aren’t any cameras on us?” (blatant punch or kick).
Well there are metal benches in the back of these vehicles, so if a person got thrown around in just the wrong way, they could presumably end up impacting their throat. I’m not saying that’s what happened, just saying it could have.
Either way, it’s some really sick shit. I don’t know why it seems worse than intentionally laying a beating on someone in custody, but it does to me - even more pointless, cruel and arbitrary.
“I know what will solve this problem! Hefty fines against the police department.” He said, very fucking sarcastically.
Crushed voice box would be fairly easy if he was on a nickel ride.
http://mobile.philly.com/columnists/?wss=/philly/columnists&id=301499571
I wonder what excuse for murder they’ll trot out next.
One thing I’ll say is, I’m very glad that a good portion of the media does seem to be tying the riots to the overall socio-economic issues that so obviously fomented them. As a Baltimorean (by choice – I’ve been here since college about 18 years ago) the destruction to communities saddens me very much. I’m in a pretty good part of the city near the main Johns Hopkins campus, and about four businesses a block from my house were looted Monday night. So the destruction was pretty wide-spread. But at least it does seem to be focusing some attention on the core issues, which go beyond even the institutionalized police brutality that has plagued this and other cities for years, and has even more to do with generations of people who have almost no opportunity to receive a good education, and no opportunity to be part of the economy in a meaningful way.
I read an article yesterday where some clueless rich white guy was certain that his spine was already broken before the cops picked him up. How the guy was running away with a broken spine, he doesn’t say.
Mind you, I have actually done that. Too much pie and a bad seating position… 
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