A Tense Baltimore Braces for a Verdict in the Freddie Gray Case

As the jury prepares to deliver a verdict in the trial of the first of six police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, the Baltimore police department is taking pains to reach out to the community and signal that it is ready to respond to any outcome, including protest. Community activists, meanwhile, say that distrust of the police still runs deep. Some are promising to return to the streets if the courts cannot deliver the justice they seek.

The death of the 25-year-old Gray in police custody sparked intense protest in Baltimore last April. As rioting escalated, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency. The National Guard was called in to quell unrest. Along with other high-profile confrontations between black men like Michael Brown and Eric Garner and police officers, Gray’s death has fueled a national protest movement against police brutality.