WASHINGTON 鈥� A Maryland congressman says he understands the frustration people feel about the slow, unsteady stream of information related to the Freddie Gray investigation, but urges patience and expresses 鈥渇ull confidence鈥� that State鈥檚 Attorney Marilyn Mosby will get to the bottom of things.
鈥淲e elected her. She鈥檚 35 years old. She鈥檚 brilliant; she鈥檚 honest, and she鈥檚 thorough,鈥� says聽Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, of Mosby.
But people have to understand, he says, that she needs to be thorough in her examination of the police report into Gray鈥檚 death, and that can take time. He fears the effects of public pressure if she doesn鈥檛 think she has all the information she needs.
鈥淚 want people to understand the process,鈥� Cummings says. 鈥淚f she looks at [the report] and doesn鈥檛 like it, or feels that it鈥檚 not complete, or there are inaccuracies, she has the full power of the federal government behind her.鈥�
She can file charges, seek an indictment from a grand jury, go back to the Baltimore police and demand more information, or go straight to the FBI, he added.
Cummings says that as a lawyer who grew up in Baltimore, he鈥檚 in a unique position.
鈥淚 live in the community, and I also know the process. 鈥� They鈥檝e got to let her go through the evidence.鈥�
The slow and erratic flow of information through leaks is driving a lot of frustration, Cummings says, adding, 鈥淚 understand that.鈥� He recounted hearing two leaks that contradicted each other.
鈥淚 have a major problem with the leaks,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is one of the worst things [people] can do. It gets information out piecemeal, and you鈥檝e got to have the total package.鈥�
Asked, however, what the harm would be in releasing the police report, Cummings said, 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know.鈥� He added his dissatisfaction with the initial police report, which claimed that Gray 鈥渨as arrested without incident or force.”
Cummings said he rushed back from Washington to stand on a street corner in Baltimore Thursday night, urging people to remain peaceful.
鈥淚 know people are skeptical. 鈥� But at the same time, I can鈥檛 just say 鈥極h, throw up your hands and do things that might distract us from getting a resolution.鈥欌��
As a weekend of demonstrations begins with a 3 p.m. march from the State’s Attorney’s Office to City Hall, Cummings is urging the same thing: 鈥淚f you expect something, a lot of times, you get it. 鈥� Let鈥檚 expect to be peaceful.鈥�
草莓传媒’s Kristi King contributed to this report.
