WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski together with Representatives Elijah Cummings, Dutch Ruppersberger and John Sarbanes (all D-Md.) today in a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to open federal criminal and civil rights investigations into the death of Baltimore resident Freddie Gray. Mr. Gray, 25, died this past Sunday, a week after he was injured while in Baltimore Police custody.
“Freddie Gray’s family and the residents of the City of Baltimore deserve to know what happened to him while he was in police custody. We need answers,” the Members wrote. “While the vast majority of police officers act within the law to serve and protect their communities, incidents like this degrade the trust necessary to maintain the relationship between law enforcement and communities. We urge the Department of Justice to swiftly conduct all necessary investigations. We need the facts to restore the public confidence in the Baltimore Police Department.”
The letter to Attorney General Eric Holder follows:
April 21, 2015
The Honorable Eric Holder
Attorney General
United States Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20530
Dear Attorney General Holder:
We are deeply troubled by recent events in the City of Baltimore. As you know, Baltimore resident Freddie Gray, 25, died Sunday April 19, one week after he was injured while in Baltimore Police custody.
Freddie Gray’s family and the residents of the City of Baltimore deserve to know what happened to him while he was in police custody. We need answers.
While we support the efforts of the ongoing review into the policies and procedures of the Baltimore Police Department by the Community Oriented Policing Services Office, we request that the Department of Justice open a federal criminal and civil rights investigation into the death of Baltimore resident Freddie Gray.
While the vast majority of police officers act within the law to serve and protect their communities, incidents like this degrade the trust necessary to maintain the relationship between law enforcement and communities. We urge the Department of Justice to swiftly conduct all necessary investigations. We need the facts to restore the public confidence in the Baltimore Police Department.
Sincerely,
Benjamin L. Cardin
United States Senator
Barbara A. Mikulski
United States Senator
Elijah Cummings
Member of Congress
Dutch Ruppersberger
Member of Congress
John Sarbanes
Member of Congress
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