BALTIMORE (AP) - Baltimore's police union is accusing city officials of stonewalling requests for information about what happened during riots in the city following the death of Freddie Gray in police custody.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and the police department responded by calling the union's claims baseless.
The union has requested all communications between City Hall and police officials during the riots. The union said in a statement Tuesday that the failure to release the information has prevented officers from preparing for any future unrest.
Rawlings-Blake said in a statement that the city is in the midst of an "extensive review" of the riot response. She says "the public will know the full truth of what happened" and that the record will show she never ordered officers to "stand down" during the riots.
Gag Order on Evidence
BALTIMORE (AP) - After her request for a broad gag order was denied, Baltimore's top prosecutor is asking a judge to bar attorneys representing the six police officers charged in Freddie Gray's death from sharing evidence in the case before it goes to trial.
On Monday, State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby's filed a motion asking for all discovery materials to be deemed confidential.
Gray's death from injuries suffered in police custody prompted protests that at times gave way to violence and looting. The officers face charges ranging from second-degree assault to depraved-heart murder.
In Monday's request, the state acknowledged that there is little legal precedent in Maryland for restricting attorneys' release of discovery materials to avoid "unfair publicity," but insisted that the case should be tried "in the courtroom, not the newsroom."
