tv The Ed Show MSNBC May 1, 2015 2:00pm-3:01pm PDT
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good evening americans. welcome to "the ed show" live from washington, d.c. we are awaiting a press conference just moments away from freddie gray's family. this comes after we got details today in gray's death, six baltimore police officers are facing various charges, including second-degree murder and illegally arresting mr. gray. earlier today, state attorney marilyn mosby gave all the details in a blockbuster news conference. she named names and laid out the charges. the press conference is starting right now. we'll go right to it live in baltimore. this is the gray family responding to the charges that have been brought forward.
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good afternoon. first, we will hear from the representative of the gray family who has brief remarks to make. then i'll make brief remarks. and then we'll take a handful of questions. >> my name is richard. i'm one of freddie's two fathers. we are satisfied with today's charges. these charges are an important step in getting justice for freddie. and we ask that whoever come to our city a city that we love a city that we live in come in peace. and if you are not coming in peace, please don't come at all. because this city needs to get back to work. the last thing that freddie would want is to see the
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hard-working people of baltimore lose their jobs and businesses because of his death. you all know that would totally defeat the purpose of what we are trying to work towards. remember, without justice there is no peace. but let us have peace in the pursuit of justice. thank you. >> today is a momentous step on the road to justice for freddie. in losing freddie, the gray family has been put through real hell. one can only imagine the tremendous pain and suffering that this family has endured.
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for the parents, loss of a son and the sister's loss of a brother. freddie was taken too early and too horrifically. and the worst of the grays' family days in the history of this family have been the last three weeks. today has given the gray family a measure of hope. we thank the state's attorney and her team for their unprecedented courage and their measured and professional response to this crisis. they have our gratitude in their pursuit of justice. however, we must be mindful that this is a first step not the last.
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but why the state's attorney's office continues to do its work, the community this community, and other communities like it all over the country have much work to do of their own. the overwhelming number of people who have protested over these many days did not know freddie personally but they and the people of philadelphia new york, cincinnati and numerous other cities numerous other towns, and numerous rural areas, are expressing their outrage that there are too many freddie grays. and if freddie gray is not to die in vain we must seize this opportunity to reform police departments throughout this country. so that there are no more days and times like this. it is now time for every city including our own, to make all citizens of this country treated
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with human dignity, unaffected by color religion gender income, or of the other irrelevant differences that wrongly exclude them from the human family. let us make this the overarching meaning of justice for freddie. freddie's family is gratified that the ministers, elected officials and others have stepped into the streets to counsel peace. but the family is especially gratified that the young people of america are showing us the way. they are firm strong and bound together in a mission for change. young people have friends classmates relatives, spouses, and co-workers from all races,
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all colors all sexual orientations, all religions, and all incomes. who have enabled them to see with unmistakable and unprecedented clarity that we are all members of one race. the human race. with every ounce of their being, they expressed this universal desire for one country, one people. and they will fight peacefully until that goal is realized. but with all these unprecedented experiences comes enormous responsibility. because most of us have never been in a place like this before. our young people must show us the way thoughtfully
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creatively and peacefully. as three of the greatest leaders in recent history, gandhi martin luther king, and nelson mandela have taught us the only lasting response to evil is love. freddie gray's family thanks you for the love you have shown them. now let us all show them the fruits of that love. real and lasting progress. the lasting changes we make will be freddie's legacy. and the changes we make in baltimore can set the example for this nation. we can start with body cameras. we can continue with tough and enforceable regulations for the on switch never to be turned to
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the off switch inappropriately. we shall demand better hiring better training, better oversight, and a new culture of policing. yes, a new culture of policing. where good policing is rewarded and bad policing is punished. where bad policemen fear committing misconduct because good policemen no longer fear preventing it correcting it reporting it or prosecuting it. the blue wall of silence, which makes policemen wrongfully conspire to conceal evil, must come down. in the days ahead, we will be
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inviting police experts, community leaders, rank and file officers, and others who have seriously studied what must be done, to join us in what we hope will be a new baltimore to create and implement these reforms so that they will be a model for the nation. we must seize this moment. only this kind of lasting progress, a truly lasting progress, a permanent lasting progress can assure freddie gray's family and the rest of us that freddie's death was not in vain. let us pray for freddie's family and let us pray that god will guide us dood -- to do his will
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or her will in the pursuit of justice, so that this country will truly be and surely be a place where everyone regardless of their color or whatever difference may be superficially apparent, can get liberty and justice for all. thank you very much. and we'll take your questions. >> what is the reaction -- >> man, you're fast. >> what is the reaction to order of policing that officers are not responsible? >> that's a premature statement, obviously. if they are interested in a full thorough and fair investigation and to follow the fact where is they lead us they
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won't say stuff like that. we haven't said stuff like that. >> you're watching a family press conference. that is the family attorney for the gray family billy murphy answering just a couple of questions. he did call for body cameras with a regulated on switch a better hiring and training procedure for the baltimore police, and starting new culture of policing in the city. previously, the step dad richard shipley said that the family is satisfied with the charges. we'll continue our coverage. earlier today, state attorney marilyn mosby gave all the details in a blockbuster news conference of those who were arrested. she named names and laid out the charges. >> while each of these officers are presumed innocent until proven guilty we are brought the following charges. officer caesar goodson is being charged with second-degree
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depraved heart murder. involuntary manslaughter. second degree negligent assault. manslaughter by vehicle by means of gross negligence. manslaughter by vehicle by means of criminal negligence. misconduct in office for failure to secure a prisoner. failure to render aid. officer william porter is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second degree misconduct in office. lieutenant brian rice is being charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second-degree, misconduct in office, false imprisonment. officer edward nero is being charged with assault in the second degree intentional, assault in the second-degree, negligent, misconduct in office false imprisonment. officer garrett miller is being charged with intentional assault in the second-degree.
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assault in the second-degree, negligent. misconduct in office. and false imprisonment. sergeant alicia white is being charged with manslaughter involuntary manslaughter second degree assault, misconduct in office. >> that was state attorney marilyn mosby announcing the charges earlier today, and of course, the associated press is now reporting that all six officers have been taken into custody. moments ago, the baltimore police union responded to the charges. >> i have never seen such a hurried rush to file criminal charges, which i believe are driven by forces which are separate and apart from the application of law and the facts of this case as we know them. no one condones police misconduct. this is especially true of the entire fop membership, including my client who was a 17-year veteran of this department who has dedicated his life to serving the public.
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let me state in no uncertain terms that lieutenant rice and all of the officers involved at all times acted reasonably and in accordance with their training as baltimore police officers. no officer injured mr. gray caused harm to mr. gray and they are truly saddened by his death. these officer did nothing wrong. >> the police union is calling for marilyn mosby to appoint a special prosecutor. tonight people are gathering in the streets all across america. we'll be monitoring the protests and marches throughout the hour. let's go live now to baltimore, craig melvin, msnbc anchor and reporter and also with us tonight, joy reed msnbc national correspondent. craig, you first. the family says that they are satisfied with the charges. they had a real message of nonviolence. what is the reaction of the crowd in the wake of these officers being charged today? >> reporter: first of all, ed, let me take you inside this
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crowd behind me. a crowd of roughly 300. they are dispersing from here in front of city hall. they're moving out again now. i'm not exactly sure where they're marching to now. but i had the opportunity to talk to a number of the folks in this crowd. two things. first of all, a lot of folks are very upset about the curfew that continues to remain in place here in baltimore. as you know 10:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. they have said that that is going to be the case at least through sunday. a lot of the folks who are marching here are very upset about that. the folks that i talk to also in this crowd, in terms of the charges that were presented today, they seem pleased. and they also seem pleasantly surprised as well. a number of folks said they did not expect the special prosecutor -- excuse me, they did not expect the state's attorney to come out today, and not just talk about the charges, but to really sort of lay out the case to a certain extent
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against the officers as well. one gentleman said that's the kind of -- that was the kind of insight that they were looking for a couple of days ago. a couple other things worth noting. a few weeks ago in charleston the walter scott case the situation caught on camera. local officials reacted fairly quickly. this was another instance where a lot of folks are saying that by and large, the local officials here acted quicker than they have in years past with similar situations, ed. >> okay. craig melvin in baltimore, reporting for us tonight. let's go now to joy reid who is also on the scene. joy, there is some ominous news with the charges of these six officers. and the state's attorney marilyn mosby saying that there was no reason for the stop and it was an illegal arrest. what's the response on the ground to this news?
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>> absolutely. people were pleasantly surprised by these charges. i think that one of the big problems that the officers had in their story, and we talk about this being a very quick resolution in a case where we were told by city officials not to expect friday to be a big day. but what a big day it turns out to be. if you go back and look at the charging documents that were going to be filed, in a case that was going to be filed against freddie gray the charge that he was being charged with the statute he was charged with breaking was possession of a switchblade, possession of a knife with a spring attachment. marilyn mosby saying the knife they took out of the inside pants pocket of freddie gray was not a spring-loaded knife. it was not a switchblade. so if the knife is not a switchblade, that means he committed no crime. if he committed no crime that means there was no probable cause for the stop. the fact that the underlying case against freddie gray had he lived has seemed to fall apart. i think the second issue is that in the narrative in the charging documents, they didn't mention any of the stops. it was said he was placed without incident into the van and that he was taken to the
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precinct at some point had some sort of medical emergencisy. i think you heard the prosecutor lay that case out very specifically. lots of support not just for marilyn mosby, but for nick mosby, her husband who was just walking through the crowd just a little while ago and getting high fives and hugs from people. we spoke earlier with some members of the community who work in community development here, who talked about how both of the mosbys are very involved in the community, very well-known to this west baltimore community. not just as people who are public servants now, but going back for many years were doing things like friday night peace walks. there's a lot of drug crime and general crime in this area. they were two people who were great advocates for the people who live here who were residents here and who are going to still be here after all this circus of media has gone home. >> joy reid reporting tonight from baltimore. thanks, joy. let me bring in darrell parks, attorney for and partner in parks & crump, who currently represents the family of michael
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brown. interesting development here in the state's attorney very aggressively coming out with charges today. some say it was early and unexpected. and of course the reaction from the police union is they want a police officer. why all officers involved what's your take on that? >> i think when you think about one, the fact that freddie gray had not committed a crime whatsoever, and i think the prosecutor emphasized the fact that there was no probable cause for a crime, but also, too, i think she was very appalled and a reckless disregard they had for his position and failed to come to his aid. those facts alone set off a very eerie death that he suffered over that time period. when they finally called for him, it was too late.
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i think given all the facts, she went through all the facts, ed, she went through all of the things that they did not do. >> it certainly looks as if she has the mindset behind the charges that negligence led to the result of the death of freddie gray. your reaction to the prosecution having a solid case at this point from what you know. >> well i think it's hard to say. i think if you listen to her words, she said at least there was probable cause. and so i think the difference that you see here in this case is she decided to make her case on probable cause, unlike some prosecutors we have seen in this country who have made the decision based on whether or not they thought they could get a conviction. there may be a difference there, but we'll see as time goes on. >> and what kind of uphill battle legally do you think these officers are facing?
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>> they're certainly facing an uphill battle. number one, this will have to be tried in baltimore city. we've seen different jury pools that maybe would have seen this differently. but given where they are, it's a tough venue. >> but isn't the toughness of that them justifying an illegal arrest? it's what it's going to come down to. if he had not been arrested he'd still be alive today. >> he really would. but also we don't know what they're going to say about the neighborhood and other things that may have been going on in the general area. even though it was 8:00 in the morning, we don't know what they're going to say in terms of what was going on in that general area. so there are some facts that we'll learn once we get into the litigation aspect of this case. >> all right. darrell parks, good to have you with us tonight. i appreciate your time. thanks so much for that. i want to bring in state senator catherine pugh is with us as well. your response to the charges
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today and the family saying that they are satisfied with the charges. >> well i think i'm satisfied with the charges, as you can see with the sell briggs that'scelebration going on behind me. the people of baltimore are satisfied with the charges. i think what you're still going to see is continuous, peaceful demonstrations, not just hear, but in cities across the country. unfortunately, what mr. gray will represent for america is the issue of police profiling and the injustices that have occurred to so many across this country in the hands of police. and that certainly is not to say that most of our police know what to do when they come into our communities that we pay to serve. but again, we find situations like this. >> catherine, what's your reaction to the state attorney saying he should have never been stopped, never been arrested never put in custody? >> well i think that's the question that most of us raise from the very beginning. this is a man walking around in his own neighborhood. he should not have been
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profiled. so what is happening in cities across this country, people really become very fearful of the police and so when he ran, and they caught up with him, and then they went through his pockets and claimed that he had a weapon that was illegal, i mean, this man was frightened to death. and we heard the screams. we heard him crying for help. we heard him asking for medication. and to not have even gotten that service, i was really pained by what i saw, what i heard from the state's attorney and more importantly, what this man must have gone through. so i can't imagine what his family is feeling today. but i'm grateful that we finally got at least from our state's attorney some information that allows us to believe that justice will be served and we'll move forward. >> okay the family attorney billy murphy stepped to the microphone just 15 minutes ago and said that they are pushing for change when it comes to body cameras that would have a legislated on switch as to when
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it would be on or off. also the hiring and training of personnel in the baltimore police department. they also want a new culture of policing in the city. it's very clear that the gray family is using the tragedy that happened to their family as an opportunity to push some change and to push for change and for reform. is this going to happen? >> is this going to happen? >> that is as it should be. baltimore has already been given the permission by the state to continue to move forward with its body camera law. and so we need to make sure that that moves very quickly. and when we go back to annapolis in january one of the issues that we're going to be grappling with is should police in fact be systematically given psychological evaluations to see if they still have the propensity to do the job in our neighborhoods without profiling people who walk live, and earn their lives in our neighborhoods. we don't want to ever see what happened to freddie gray happen
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to any other individual not just in baltimore, but in philadelphia, in new york, and in any other city across this country. so yes i believe change will take place. >> thank you, senator pugh, i appreciate your time. the ap reporting that all six officers are currently in custody, and of course we will continue our coverage here on msnbc. you can follow us on facebook and watch my facebook feature "give me a minute" and you can get my video podcast at wegoted.com. coming up we'll have more reaction from the baltimore community to charges filed against the officers in the death of freddie gray. stay with us. we're right back on "the ed show."
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the community? this is a huge legal move today to arrest and charge six officers. what's the response on the ground? what are you hearing? >> reporter: and i think it's relief i think it's surprise. i don't think most people ever thought this would happen. these things tend not to happen. police officers tend not to get arrested and certainly not charged with murder as was the case with one of the officers. i think people are surprised how swiftly this happened. this man died in police custody just a couple of weeks ago. we're so used to these cases dragging on for weeks and weeks, if not months and months or longer. so all of that is just very stunning. i think you also hear a lot of other grievances coming forward. a lot of people feel like their voice might be heard. and certainly some of those cases are probably not legitimate, but i imagine that some of them are. so you're hearing that as well. i think you're also hearing a lot of people -- there's a lot
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of hyperbole and excitement about how this is historic and how it's a profound moment. but i think there are also people who are being more realistic about this. while this one case is going to be prosecuted there are many others that won't be, people are saying. but it's a moment. it's a moment that people are going to focus on try to seize on the reformers in the community are certainly going to try to take advantage of this to try to push practical, tough reforms for police departments, not just here but in other departments across the country. you hear the police departments pushing back as well. the union here saying these offices did nothing wrong. it's a very difficult job. and that's something that's quite a balance that has to be struck. something changed here. i hear so many people say that it feels like something really happened here today that's different. and may never be the same going forward. because these officers are going to be held accountable to some
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extent. they're innocent until prooun guilty -- proven guilty and most people are surprised that this ever happened. they're not used to seeing the kind of justice move forward in this community. >> well this is also a signal to the community that their protests from a legal perspective have been successful. and i think that message seems to be conveyed by the freddie gray family, that richard shipley, the step dad of freddie gray stepped out and said it's got to be non-violent. we bear the responsibility to go down and what we're trying to achieve with non-violent protests and marches. the next 24 hours, you say the word surprised, that people are surprised. they also have to feel some sort of gratification that the city is moving forward. do you hear any of that? >> reporter: there's a lot of vindication. there's a lot of feeling of -- i say surprise, but i think it's actually shock that most people feel. this is a huge emotional thing that's happened here.
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and i think people are shocked. and i think they feel very vindicated because this is the kind of thing that people have been complaining about for many many years, for generations, dare i say. not just here in baltimore, but in so many other places. and i don't think that this is necessarily a response to the protests. yes, the protests certainly put this on the agenda to some extent but you have a prosecutor here who i think would argue that she looked at this case, and the fangts sfacts of the case. i think she would argue that she's not persuaded by the passion of the community, she's persuaded by the facts that she saw through a professional investigation is the reason why she's bringing this, because i don't think she would say that this is mob rule or this is the -- you know this is the community demanding this. that she's responding to the community. she's working for the community. but she's following the facts is what i think she would say, ed. >> all right, ron allen on the ground in baltimore. you're looking live at the marches and protests and the people who are out in the streets expressing their views.
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i want to bring in michael steele former rnc chair, and lieutenant governor of maryland also with us tonight, joe madison, sirius xm talk show host who with his listeners clearly have a pulse on the community of baltimore. no doubt that there's been a lot of reaction on your show in recent days. now, you haven't done a show since these charges were brought this afternoon. what do you think the reaction is going to be? what do you anticipate? what have you heard? >> well what i've heard is that you have relief. we anticipated -- and i had said on the show earlier that if there was anything short of what this prosecutor came up with, the leaders in that community -- and i don't care if it was elijah cummings or the mayor or the ministers they were going to have a tough time keeping the lid on. that is what i heard. so what you have here now are
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people who have as you said they feel they've been vindicated. and i agree with ron. i don't think this prosecutor was influenced at all by the protesters. because she kept her head down. we didn't know anything about her. she's only been in office a few months. >> four months. >> most people didn't even know what she looked like. and the great thing was, the way -- you know ed here's what she apparently did. she threw everything at them but the kitchen sink. >> she went so far as to say that freddie gray should have never been stopped. >> so there's relief. >> she's making a legal statement with the charges that really have to be the basis of the case i would think. the police are going to have to come back whether making a representation or not. it's going to be why did you stop the kid and why did you treat him like this and what happened and why are there discrepancies? elijah cummings is saying this is a new day for our city. mr. steele your thoughts on
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that? >> i like the words. now, let's see the action. when i served as lieutenant governor, our administration working with city leaders and others in the community tried to put some things in place. there always seems to be a roadblock. there's always a reason not to move forward. there's always an excuse not to get it done. if elijah and the mayor and others are serious about actually taking baltimore to the next level and returning some of that glory that it once had, that the people know is there, and we saw a little bit of that this week in how the community came together. then i'll begin to see and a lot of people will begin to believe that this is a step forward. >> okay, a step forward. had it not been for marilyn mosby's actions today, maybe this wouldn't have happened? what about that? >> that's a good point. i don't know. i don't know how the previous state's attorney would have handled the speed with which it would have gotten done.
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but certainly the new state's attorney ms. mosby, bringing a new kind of energy that i think is reflective of where the city wants to go. i think it's being an honest broker on behalf of the people to make sure that justice, however it is done it is done fairly. >> you can also call -- you know, i know they're calling for a special prosecutor. here would be my line. and that she is a special prosecutor with a small s. >> what's the responsibility to the community now? if this has never happened before, if this is a new day, community leaders and elected officials saying this is different for baltimore, what's the responsible of the community in response to all of this? >> i think the responsibility is to take control of your city. take control of your community. no longer make excuses and rely exclusively on public officials, on elected officials, because they are the ones quite honestly, who have let you down. they're the ones who allowed this to fester and grow to the extent that it has. i love seeing politicians get in
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front of microphones and start talking about what we're going to do, but it never gets done. >> can i add to what michael said? and what we've seen -- and i've been very critical of two politicians in particular. the governor he walks down the street that was part of this riot that took place. he walks down that neighborhood without the mayor. he walks down that neighborhood without the city council that represents the district. this is where i think we agree on this this is where a democratic mayor, a republican governor needs to come together. i'm from the old school. i grew up in millican. william millican used to say as detroit goes so goes the state of michigan. as baltimore goes so goes the state of maryland in a big way. that's why you had this type of concern and influence. if it's a new day you need the republican governor who's got
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to put together a budget who's got to work with the governor -- i mean the mayor, and you've got a mayor who has to work with the governor. and they need to be seen together. >> gentlemen, thanks for your time tonight. appreciate it so much. still to come, the president weighs in on the latest developments out of baltimore. stay with us. you're watching "the ed show" on msnbc. when you're not confident your company's data is secure the possibility of a breach can quickly become the only thing you think about. that's where at&t can help. we monitor network traffic worldwide, so we can see things others can't. mitigating risks across your business. leaving you free to focus on what matters most.
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[♪] the endless... stillness of green... [♪] and in the restless depths of human hearts... [♪] the voice of the wild within. welcome back to "the ed show," coming to you live from washington, d.c. we're monitoring marches happening all across the country. earlier today president obama asked for the demonstrations to remain peaceful and calm. >> i'm gratified that we've seen the constructive thoughtful protests that have been taking
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place, peaceful but clear calls for accountability that those have been managed the last couple of days in a way that's ultimately positive for baltimore and positive for the country, and i hope that approach to non-violent protests and community engagement continues. >> congressman chris van hollen of maryland joins me tonight. the white house making a big effort talking to high-profile athletes, to talk to kids across the country. is this a big step forward? how do you see this? this is your state. >> well that's right. first, i want to commend state's attorney marilyn mosby for acting quickly and deliberately to seek justice in this case. for freddie gray and his family but as you say, really for all marylanders. and now we also need to begin a conversation and more importantly urgent action to
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begin to address some of the underlying systemic issues that led to the tragedy in baltimore and tragedies we've seen around the country. i think the president has begun to speak about that important conversation. i just got off a conference hall with the head of the congressional black caucus as well as barbara lee who serves with me on the budget committee, to talk about how we really need now to roll up our sleeves and attack this issue of poverty, rather than this failed war on drugs, which has led to so many people being locked up for non-violent drug offenses. >> some of the systemic problems you're talking about, is it police culture? i mean, i think one of the biggest pieces of information today is marilyn mosby saying he should have never been stopped, should have never been arrested should have never been put in custody. doesn't spa speak to the police operations, that they're heavy handed? how do you reel that in? >> there's no doubt that you
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need a restructuring of the relationship between police and the communities that they're sworn to sempblrve. even before this awful situation with freddie gray, there's been an ongoing u.s. justice department investigation into brutal police tactics. so absolutely, we need the body cameras. we need to make sure we have the truth in this case and in these cases, and other reforms. but i'm speaking about deeper changes that need to be made in terms of attacking poverty and ending this failed war on drugs. >> this town is tight with the dollar, unless you're talking about the defense budget. we're talking in an era where there's not a whole lot of money for anything. especially when it comes to rebuilding inner cities. this is an inner city issue, an inner city problem that has not gotten the proper resources in funding. isn't that the congressional discussion? >> that is exactly right. we just wrapped up debate on the republican budget conference report yesterday. and making the point that we need to put resources into
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creating more job opportunities in these areas of chronic unemployment providing for more opportunity, getting an education. you've got a budget that actually makes it forward for working people. they scaled back the child tax credit at the same time that they're providing a tax break on the states over $10 million, something you've talked about. so it's exactly backwards in terms of the budget being proposed here. we need to attack this with a real urgency. >> okay. i want to ask on a federal level, all right? richard shipley, the step dad came out previously in this hour in a press conference and said that the family is happy with the charges, but he put a big emphasis on non-violence, but he went so far as to say this is what we need and he named a couple things. one of them body cameras. that was the attorney billy murphy who said that. what's beginning to push this discussion forward on a federal level when it comes to body cameras, or do you view that as
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a state issue and a community issue? and is that something that you would fund? >> yes. and i see this as a city issue, a state issue, and a federal issue. >> so the decision should be made in a building you work in about whether we're going to do body cameras? >> what we proposed and there's legislation i support to do this is that the federal government will provide resources to these communities as an incentive for them to move forward. in other words, we want to say yes, you should be moving forward with these body cameras so that we always get the truth, and we will provide resources available to you. in the city of baltimore, they passed legislation to create a pilot program. i think that they should expand that very quickly in the city of baltimore. but absolutely. this is one piece of the reforms that need to take place in terms of the criminal justice system. beyond that, again, we've got to get away from this policy of locking people up for non-violent drug offenses rather than treating it as a
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health issue. as you know, on college campuses, when kids get busted for drugs, they don't end up in jail. they usually end up getting help in terms of the health care mental health substance abuse. >> not the case in the inner city. >> in places like baltimore, it's the opposite, you get locked up. >> good to have you with us on "the ed show" tonight. we'll have more from baltimore after this. stay with us right here on msnbc. ...and takes the wheel right from your very hands... ...this isn't that car. the first and only car with direct adaptive steering. ♪ the 328 horsepower q50 from infiniti.
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almost startling charge in this case, is that two of those officers, the two officers that were involved in the initial arrest of freddie gray on the morning of april 12th, they have been charged with false imprisonment. why, because in the view of the state's attorney that little knife that they picked off of freddie gray that ended up being the charge against him, they say that that knife was, in fact lawful to possess, not unlawful to possess, and, therefore, in the view of the state's attorney the arrest was illegal so those two officers have been charged with false imprisonment amongst some misconduct, et cetera et cetera. i've said that that is a legal shot across the bow on this whole issue of the -- of arrests for these minor crimes of questionable arrests for where's the probable cause? i mean that's a very interesting element of a very serious case. i mean we've got, you know a police officer charged with second-degree depraved murder second-degree manslaughter charges and those the most
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fascinating element of this case. >> i agree, because they will have to justify their actions and do it legally, and we're also hearing tonight, jane miller, that baltimore police will now be traveling in pairs. how big a change is this for the city, do you think, as far as police operations? >> i don't know much different about that. i've actually seen them over the past week because of all the unrest like in threes in their police, you know -- i think, if you're talking about, you know patrol et cetera et cetera i mean they are kind of accustomed to traveling in pairs anyways. now, i don't know if that's related to the ongoing protest, et cetera, or if that's going to become a more permanent policy. everybody in the community hopes that at the end of the day this case leads to really substantial changes in policy. >> okay. investigative reporter for wbal jane miller with us tonight whose reporting has been nothing but spot on. thank you, jane appreciate it tonight. we'll have another update from our reporters on the ground
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and we are back on "the ed show." our continuing coverage here on msnbc. let me bring in toure for the latest on the ground the co-host of msnbc's "the cycle" and also here joy reed and previously we heard them say that the community was shocked, certainly surprise that had these charges have come forward and especially the fact that the
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state's attorney said he should never have been stopped, freddie gray. what are both of you hearing on the ground? toure, you, first. >> at the corner of north and penn near the cvs that got burned out. a jubilant scene right now. some people are feeling happy. some people told me that they were shocked that these charges came down but some people told me that they weren't shocked because in baltimore the leadership, the political leadership, is so black that they are not -- that they are not surprised that things went down this way. what have you heard, joy? >> okay. >> first of all, a lot of confidence in prosecutor mosby and her husband nick mosby who is the city council member representing this district. i've heard a lot of the same things you heard. people either saying they were completely surprised that there were charges, or that they thought charges would come but that they were still surprised at the timing that it would happen today. city officials have been pulling people back from thinking today was an important day but obviously it's been very important. a carnival atmosphere.
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people honking at the cars going by. honking and waving. a lot of jubilation. sum it up with that word, jubilation. >> where do the protests go from here? clearly the protests have had an impact to the point where there's been some movement clearly today with the charges being brought. what's next? what do you think the crowd's going to do? >> well, a couple of things ed. i mean there's a big march tomorrow. i believe that the lawyers are putting together that should be one of the larger marches of the week, so that will be a place for people to vent and blow off steam, but you know other people are talking about the larger issues around education, around employment around the large number of abandoned homes and empty lots on this side of town as opposed to the beautiful homes on the other side of town and if we don't make those structural institutional changes. then we're going to continue to see these sort of problems. >> absolutely. a lot of people talking to us today saying it was kind of ironic that we saw so many police just a super abundance of law enforcement here when you can go two blocks down and there was drug activity
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happening today, so people were saying essentially they want to see the police in this community in a positive way. not in the way that we saw with freddie gray. >> all right. toure and joy reid great reporting on the ground from baltimore. thanks so much for helping us out on "the ed show." that is "the ed show." and "politics nation" starts right now. >> thanks for tuning in. we begin with the breaking news moments ago the family of freddie gray responded to the charges against six baltimore police officers accused in his death. >> we are satisfied with today's charges. these charges are an important step in getting justice for freddyfred freddie freddie. remember, without justice, there's no peace, but let us have peace in the pursuit of justice. >> those comments just hours after this announcement from
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