Justice

Jesse Williams Calls out the Hypocrisy in the Freddie Gray Case

July 27th 2016

When prosecutors in Baltimore, Maryland announced that all the charges against officers in connection to Freddie Gray death were dropped, many people on social media were shocked and angry.

However, Jesse Williams perfectly explained the frustrating reality of institutional racism in a series of powerful tweets.

He shared a quote from 19th century German philosopher Max Stirner.

The famous quote, "the state calls its own violence law, but that of the individual crime," relates to circumstances of Gray's arrests and death. Gray was arrested last year on suspicion of a weapons violation. He died while in police custody after suffered a severed spinal chord and a crushed voice box. The death was ruled a homicide by medical examiner Dr. Carol Allan, who defended ruling in June while testifying at the murder trial of Officer Caesar Goodson, according to The Baltimore Sun.

As of Wednesday, none of the officers working for "the state" will be convicted. Williams also questioned the validity of U.S. law if it's not followed by the system tasked with enforcement.

Williams also called out the prison industrial complex by accusing "law and order" of filling jails and prisons with "black people for profit."

The Freddie Gray Trials.

After three officers charged in connection with the death of 25-year-old Gray were acquitted and one received a mistrial, prosecutors decided to drop the charges for the remaining three officers, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The trial of Officer William Porter ended with a hung jury and a mistrial. Officers Edward Nero, Caesar Goodson, and Lt. Brian Rice were acquitted in bench trials, meaning there was no jury. Judge Barry G. Williams presided over the three acquittals and he was expected to preside over the remaining trials.

RELATED: Breaking: All Charges Against Officers in the Freddie Gray Case Dropped

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