‘No one is above the law’
Baltimore prosecutor charges six officers in death of Freddie Gray
Marilyn Mosby campaigned on a promise to hold police accountable.
And on Friday, as Baltimore’s no-nonsense top prosecutor announced criminal charges against six police officers in connection with the high-profile death of Freddie Gray, she declared that “no one is above the law.”
But those who would presume that the Baltimore state’s attorney is somehow anti-cop would be mistaken. As Mosby made clear at an electrifying news conference in a city that has been shaken by violent protests and looting, she comes from five generations of police officers.
The accusations against the six officers, she intoned, should not be construed as an indictment of the entire force. To the rank and file, she said, “thank you for your courage.”
Such is the complicated and intriguing backstory of Mosby, who is now being lauded on social media as an “instant political sensation” and “the prosecutor who could save Baltimore.”
Even at 35 and the youngest top prosecutor of any major North American city, according to her website, Mosby doesn’t seem bothered that she has suddenly been thrust to the centre of a national discussion over race relations and police conduct just four months after being sworn in.
On Friday, as she methodically laid out the events leading up to the death of Gray, who suffered a fatal spinal injury while in police custody, she once again was careful to strike a balance in her messaging.
While declaring Gray’s death a homicide, she also implored protesters to channel their energy peacefully.
“I heard your call for, ‘No justice, no peace,’” she said. “Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man.”
Mosby has repeatedly said one of her top priorities is restoring trust between law enforcement and the community, using the slogan “our time is now.”
On Friday, she invoked the phrase again in a message aimed squarely at the city’s youth. Telling them this was their moment, she encouraged young people to hold productive rallies to bring about systemic change.
“You’re at the forefront of this cause. And as young people, our time is now.”