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Sunday, May 03, 2015

The truth about Freddie Gray's 'pre-existing injury from car accident'

Rumors have been circulating online that Freddie Gray had spinal surgery recently and collected a payout in a settlement from a car accident. But Howard County court records show the case was connected to lawsuit involving lead paint.

Online reports are swirling that Freddie Gray had spinal surgery shortly before he died in police custody, and collected a payout in a settlement from a car accident. Those reports — which raise questions about the injury that led to his death in April 19 — point to Howard County court records as proof.

But court records examined Wednesday by The Baltimore Sun show the case had nothing to do with a car accident or a spine injury. Instead, they are connected to a lawsuit alleging that Gray and his sister were injured by exposure lead paint.

Paperwork was filed in December allowing Gray and his sister, Fredericka, to each collect an $18,000 payment from Peachtree Settlement Funding, records show. In exchange, Peachtree would have received a $108,439 annuity that was scheduled to be paid in $602 monthly installments between 2024 and 2039.

In her documents, Fredericka Gray checked "other" when asked to describe the type of accident. She also said that the date of the accident was "94/99" and that she was a minor when the case was settled.

In his documents, Freddie Gray checked "work injury, medical malpractice and auto accident" as the type of accident. When asked to explain, he also wrote something that is unreadable. He also wrote something unreadable when asked if he was a minor when the case was settled.

Both cases were filed at the same time by a New Jersey law firm.

A judge dismissed the case on April 2 when neither Gray nor his sister appeared in court, records show.

Baltimore attorney William H. "Billy" Murphy, who represents the Gray family, confirmed that the Howard County case was connected to the lead paint lawsuit.

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20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Inept reporting. The court records do NOT prove Gray didn't have spinal surgery-they only prove that the petition to cash in the structured settlement was related to the lead paint suit.
Even if we are to assume Gray is illiterate and/or inadvertently checked off the box saying auto accident etc etc as type of accident, what the lawyer for the family isn't saying is the most telling.
He is not and has not denied the spinal surgery allegations-he surely would if he could. Not only would he the Baltimore Sun would print a special edition and hand it out for free in the projects disputing the surgery claim.

Anonymous said...

This answers one question and that question is related to how he got a settlement. Doesn't address whether he had ever been in a car accident (though he checked a box with auto accident as a possible reason for his injury) or if he had a pre existing condition involving his neck.
Headline should read-"The Truth About Freddie Gray's Settlement."

Anonymous said...

Now you know darn right well Freddie Gray did have spine surgery a week and a half before being arrested.
If he didn't that lawyer would be saying so. Even if he had it 2 or 3 weeks ago or even a month ago, the lawyer would deny these allegations because his out would be the "week and a half ago."

Anonymous said...

It would also have been nice for the Sun to note that he had multiple tort claims going back to 2006 individually and with others----- not just the lead poisoning but suing a taxi service too.

Anonymous said...

Money for drugs.

Anonymous said...

The linked article does not deny that he didn't have recent spinal surgery. That's the question that should have been answered. This isn't journalism; it's smoke and mirrors as people are jumping to the conclusion by reading it that no recent surgery had occurred.
I'm reading the Balto Sun FB and the this conclusion that many are jumping to is a sad sign of the broken education system and how easily people are manipulated by the liberal press.

Anonymous said...

What fool would trade $18,000 for $108,439?

Anonymous said...

Come on....think about it.

Anonymous said...

he was alive when the officers arrested him. Don't make excuses

Anonymous said...

This article is an example of the MSM trying to discredit their major competition-A Blog.
It was a blog that first broke this story and they never said that it was a fact that the settlement was related to his spinal injury. They said it was a possibility. Notice that the Baltimore Sun is not even touching whether or not Gray actually had a spinal injury. They are only casting stones at another publication for printing their findings, that publication being a blog who as everyone knows are causing the death of liberal slanted MSM.

Anonymous said...

The Baltimore lead paints settlements ended up a nightmare for a lot of the recipients. When they became beneficiaries, it messed up their welfare benefits.
This lead paint nonsense was dreamed up by lawyers so they could prey on and get rich off of the indigents in the inner cities.

Anonymous said...

Billy Murphy -- now there's a reliable source of info.

Anonymous said...

I heard about a pre existing cervical injury shortly after his death when the media picked up speed on this story. I found about the recent operation the day before the allegation made it's rounds yesterday on the internet.
Now I'm hearing the seat belt or lack of is most likely a non issue. If someone is combative and won't sit when being transported, a cop won't get into the restricted space w/a resisting perp since only 1 officer can fit.
Also the other person who was arrested has claimed he was kicking right up until they got to the station.

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous Anonymous said...
he was alive when the officers arrested him. Don't make excuses

April 29, 2015 at 4:44 PM"

It doesn't appear as if you are familiar with what the definition of excuse is. you are the one who is excusing what could possibly be Gray's own's actions which caused his death.
Just because he was alive when arrested doesn't mean it wasn't his own actions that did something to cause his death. The lack of intelligence some of you people demonstrate is amazing. Zero forward or critical thinking skills. The education system failed you greatly and it's a damn shame because there are millions more like you out there. A damn shame!

Anonymous said...

He was a criminal I really don't care if he died, AS far as I'm concerned if you choose to live that life you deserve it.

Anonymous said...

The education system isn't failing the millions who won't behave and have no intentions of working a day in their lives. It's the welfare system that's failing them. Why work when you can sit on your butt? Let's blame doctors if they can't make Olympic athletes out of folks who weigh 500 pounds, won't exercise and don't keep medical appointments. They can't drop them as patients either.

Anonymous said...

This just leaves more questions than answers. If you look up his mother Gloria Darden, she sued (herself and the 3 children) a cab co. in the 1990's and won a settlement. A few years later, his mother attempted to sue the cab driver. I'm not at all convinced the Sun is correct and the settlement was lead paint related. And as 5:04 said BM is controversial-I've been following him for over 40 yrs and if there is a way to muddy the waters he will do it.
Then Freddie was involved in another incident involving a cab in 2008 and received a settlement in 2010.

Anonymous said...

"Jason Downs, an attorney who is with Murphy's firm and represents one of Gray's relatives, said, "We have no information or evidence at this point to indicate that there is a prior pre-existing spinal injury. It's a rumor.""

Why doesn't he just say "there was NO prior pre-existing spinal injury" instead of the "we have no information"....... "at this point" BS.

Anonymous said...

"Anonymous Anonymous said...
"Jason Downs, an attorney who is with Murphy's firm and represents one of Gray's relatives, said, "We have no information or evidence at this point to indicate that there is a prior pre-existing spinal injury. It's a rumor."


This paragraph was an update to the article. Lawyers always say "at this point" or "at this point in time" when they know they are going to need or might need a way out of something they are claiming at that moment.
If it turns out that Freddie did have the surgery and Downs is asked he can say something along the lines of "what I said was at the time I had no knowledge of prior injury or surgery."

Anonymous said...

more stupid comments from disgusting people. stay classy