Six men who were arrested during last year's riot in Baltimore filed a police brutality lawsuit. They sued police department and state of Maryland following violent demonstration to protest the death of Freddy Gray in April 2015.
One of the plaintiff is Larry Lomax, a 24-year-old man whose video when he was pepper-sprayed and arrested went viral. Baltimore Sun reported that Lomax said the city police officers tore apart their constitutionally protected rights amid heavy-handed enforcement during protests. Following the arrest, Lomax was acquitted of disorderly conduct after three charges against him dropped.
Other plaintiffs who tried to avoid the protests were wrongfully targeted by the police who beat them with the batons, they are Albert Tubman, 45, and Roosevelt Johnson, 44. While Eric Glass, a 27-year old was filming the incident when police threw him to the ground, then kicked and punched him.
Other plaintiff is a 21-year old journalist from news outlet News2Share, Andrew Fischer who was arrested for violating the curfew. The latest is Myreq Williams, 21 who was pulled off by police one night after the protest.
The Baltimore civil unrest occurred after a 25-year-old African American resident Freddie Gray was arrested by the police on April 12, 2015. During the arrest, Gray suffered injuries to his neck and spine when transported to the police station. After a consequent coma, Gray died a week later.
Residents protested which led to civil unrest. At least 20 police officers were injured and 250 people were arrested. Mayor of Baltimore Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who is also an African American had to request National Guard from Maryland Army to control the situation.
Regardless of the riot, Mayor Rawlings-Blake, a native of Ashburton neighborhood in northwest Baltimore is confident her term is a successful one. In an interview with USA Today, she affirmed her conviction that she leave Baltimore a better place. She will end her terms in December this year.
"I think the lessons are still being learned," she told USA Today. "I think what we adopted was resilience and a community coming together and a resolve to be better than our worst days."
Meanwhile, trial of six police officers who were charged in the death of Freddie Gray still continue. On Wednesday, Reuters reported that Baltimore City Circuit Judge Barry Williams ruled that a second Baltimore police officer must testify against two other officers. Officer Garrett Miller and Officer Edward Nero are two officers who involved in arresting Gray.
As the judge granted the motion from state's prosecutors, Garrett Miller must take the witness stand to testify on Edward Nero's trial scheduled May 10. Miller must also testify on the trial of Lieutenant Brian Rice set for July 5.
Six men who were arrested during last year's riot in Baltimore sued police department. They filed a police brutality lawsuit after violent demonstration to protest the death of Freddy Gray in April 2015.
