Instead of hiding behind a white-leaning grand jury, Baltimore’s State Atty. Gen. Marilyn Mosby charged police officers Caesar Goodsen, William Porter, Edward Niero, Garrret Miller, Lt. Brian Rice and Sgt. Alicia White with various crimes for the April 19 death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray.  “To the people of Baltimore and the demonstrators across America, I heard your call for ‘no justice, no peace.’  Your peace is sincerely needed as I work to deliver justice on behalf of this young man,” said Mosby, giving protesters—and potential rioters—reason to stand down.  April 26 riots caused millions in looting and property damage, prompting Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to call in the National Guard.  Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she’d get to the bottom of what happened to Gray.  Indicting six members of the Baltimore police, Mosby hoped to defuse a the situation.

             Since 16-year-old black teenager Trayvon Martin was gunned down Feb. 26, 2012 and acquitted July 13, 2013, a series of high profile black African American murders rocked the country, including the July 14, 2014 police choking death of Eric Garner and Aug. 9, 2014 shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, sparking riots in Ferguson, Missouri.  By the time the Freddie Gray incident occurred, the African American community boiled over into full-blown riots.  Promising to deal with what looks like racial profiling and targeting of blacks, newly minted U.S. Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch promised to deal with gaping holes in the criminal justice system.  “I hope that as we move forward with this case, everyone will respect the due process and refrain from doing anything that will jeopardize our ability to seek justice,” Mosby told reporters today in Baltimore.

             Charged with various crimes ranging from second-degree murder, manslaughter, misconduct in office and false imprisonment, Mosby showed that she meant business with Baltimore police.  White police department have given police officers too many passes on police misconduct leading to the unjustified deaths of black citizens over the years.  “The actions of these officers will no and should not in any way damage the important working relationships between police and prosecutors,” said Mosby, reassuring the public that justice would be served.  In recent case involving Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner and Michael Brown, white police departments got the benefit-of-the-doubt, acquitting police officers of wrongdoing.  Indicting Baltimore police showed Mosby was giving the African American community the benefit-of-the doubt, whether or not the officers actually see jail time.

             Leaked autopsy reports showed that Gray died in custody due to a spinal cord injury while traveling in a police van April 19.  Arrested April 12, Police Commissioner Anthony Batts did not specify what actually severed Gray’s spinal cord, pointing to transporting Gray April 19 without proper safety restraints.  It’s not clear yet whether Gray received beatings in police custody that eventually led to his spinal cord injury.  Gray’s family attorney Billy Murphy said the victim’s spinal cord was “80% severed,” raising concerns about Gray’s treatment for one week while in police custody.  “I set a date to get this done,” said Batts, reassuring the public that the Baltimore police spared no resources getting to the bottom of Gray’s death.  Protesters want all the facts surrounding Gray’s death released, even if it incriminates the police department for prisoner abuse.

             Reports by the Washington Post that Gray tried to injure himself while transported were speculative, despite reported by another suspect transported in the same van but divided by a partition.  Police Chief Batts raised the possibility that Gray’s week in Baltimore police custody could have contributed to his injuries.  Maryland’s state attorney wouldn’t have indicted six police officers without some evidence that the police caused Gray’s injuries.  Clarifying what he told the Washington Post, Donita Allen said he never told the paper Gray tried to harm himself.  While he heard “a little banging” in the van, he refuted the Post’s suggestion that Gray harmed himself.  Reports of at least one of the officers charged, Lt. Brian Rice, was treated for mental health issues, raises more questions about police fitness for duty.  Police fitness for duty is a pressing issue around the country.

              Whatever happened while Gray was transported to police headquarters April 12, there’s plenty of reason to believe Gray was the product of police abuse.  Undiagnosed mental illness among police officers invites more liability for police departments, looking to avoid unnecessary police abuse and officer-involved-shootings.  Indicting six police officers proved that Baltimore authorities could get on the same page.  Instead of watching the usual excuse-making, Mayor Rawlings-Blake, Commissioner Batts and prosecutor Mosby all took responsibility for what looks like another case of police abuse or, at the very least, incompetent police tactics.  Whether Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Michael Brown or now Freddie Gray, it all looks like police incompetence.  “The family and the community and the public deserve transparency and truth,” said Batts, stepping up to the challenge.

`John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.