The city of Baltimore has reached a $3.5 million settlement with local businesses damaged during protests and unrest over the 2015 death of Freddie Gray.
Nearly 70 businesses were part of the lawsuit, first filed in 2017. They claim police response was slow during the riots, and that then-Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake made things worse with comments about giving “those who wished to destroy space to do that”.
Gray died in police custody after he was arrested in April 2015. None of the six officers involved in his death were convicted of a crime.
Should the city be held liable here? Could this settlement impact similar lawsuits in other cities?
