Ben Carson sounds skeptical that the recent death of a Baltimore man in police custody was a mistake.
The type of severe spinal injury suffered by Freddy Gray “requires a great deal of direct pressure to that area,” meaning, “there is a high likelihood that direct trauma occurred,” the presidential prospect wrote on Facebook Friday.
“It would be almost impossible to acquire such an injury by simply rolling around in a van, regardless of how violently,” he wrote Friday on Facebook. “Let us hope that whoever inflicted said trauma did not intend to yield such an outcome.”
Carson’s comments resonate uniquely among those who are seeking or are likely to seek the White House in 2016. He — as was Gray — is African-American. Carson is also a retired neurosurgeon and a former resident of Baltimore.
On Friday, a prosecutor announced that Gray’s death was ruled a homicide and that charges had been filed against six police officers, including the three that arrested him and others that could have summoned medical assistance.
Carson said he was pleased the prosecutor acted “sooner rather than later” because Gray’s death is “a tragic incident surrounded by significant clouds of suspicion.”
The prosecutor’s announcement came after more than a week of protests that on Monday night devolved to violence. On Tuesday, Carson called the previous night’s riots “very sad and unfortunate” and urged the community to “create positive change … through peaceful conversation and policy ideas.”
Carson called for peace in the community to let the “legal and judicial process work” towards a resolution.
“It is undoubtedly true that this entire situation would be easier on everyone if admission of whatever guilt exists and a full description of what occurred is presented to the necessary authorities,” Carson wrote.