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Baltimore police officer who chased Freddie Gray had pattern of violence

Former Baltimore police officer Brian Rice

The white police officer, who was suspended and charged with manslaughter over the death of a young African-American man in Baltimore, had a “pattern of intimidation and violence,” according to court records.

Lieutenant Brian Rice allegedly threatened to kill himself and the husband of his former girlfriend during incidents that led him being disciplined and twice having his guns confiscated.

Rice, 41, was reportedly given an administrative suspension after being hospitalized for a mental health evaluation when he warned he was preparing to shoot himself in April 2012.

Rice was released on bail after being charged with manslaughter, assault, misconduct and false imprisonment following an inquiry into Freddie Gray’s death. Rice pursued and arrested Gray after the 25-year-old “caught his eye” on April 12.

Gray died on April 19, a week after his encounter with Rice and five other officers that left him with grave spinal injuries. Authorities have not explained how or when his spine was injured.

The State's Attorney for Baltimore, Marilyn Mosby, said on Friday the arrest of Gray initiated by Rice was illegal because a knife in his pocket, which he was charged with illegally carrying, was in fact legal.

Rice and two other officers put Gray in the police van without fastening his seat belt as required by police rules, according to Mosby.

On Friday, six Baltimore police officers who were involved in Gray's arrest were charged in connection with his death.

Large-scale protests were held across the US after a series of high-profile incidents of white police officers killing unarmed African-American men, including Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; Tamir Rice in Cleveland, Ohio; Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York and Walter Scott in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The recent unrest in Baltimore over the death of Gray was the most violent in the United States since the protests in Ferguson following the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Brown by a white police officer.

AHT/AGB


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