Limbaugh on Freddie Gray's rap sheet: Amazed how many times cops didn't kill him

Rush Limbaugh apparently sees the world through feces-colored glasses, or perhaps he views the world through a colonoscope, because, given the information regarding Freddie Gray's arrest, the rectal entombment of his head was apparent when he made the comment about Gray's rap sheet. In his amazement at the length of the man's arrest record, Limbaugh simply cannot believe that this particular time in police custody the cops made an exception and killed him.

Mediaite reported April 30 that Rush Limbaugh, in all his pompous wisdom, had seen Freddie Gray's rap sheet, which had made its way into the public arena. It is admittedly extensive, with plenty of arrests for drug possession and distribution. But Limbaugh, always one to offer an opinion without really checking his facts (read Al Franken's bestseller, Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot and Other Observations, to see how in tune with facts he's been, historically speaking), decided to assume as true the Washington Post story that Freddie Gray tried to hurt himself in the back of the police transport van. (That story has since been labeled as false by the very guy the Post says made the original claim. He told CNN that he never spoke to the Post and that he didn't believe one could hurt oneself like Gray was hurt inside the tight space of the police van. But, talk about rush to judgment...) So, without corroboration, Limbaugh attacks those he feel has rushed to judgment against the Baltimore police officers involved in the matter.

On his radio show, Rush Limbaugh said, "You look at Freddie Gray’s rap sheet, and it’s long. Freddie Gray has been arrested, I mean, literally dozens of times, and there’s an interesting way to look at that. Look at how many times the police did not kill Freddie Gray. I mean, this rap sheet––it’s amazing for somebody 24 years of age. A number of times the cops could have really damaged him, but they didn’t for some reason. So why now?”

An interesting way to look at is "look at how many times the police did not kill Freddie Gray"? Really? The man, 25 years old, has a long list of offenses, with the worst being burglary, but nothing that shades him as being violent. There has never been a justifiable reason for police officers to kill Freddie Gray. And the operative word is "never."

Because when Freddie Gray died from the catastrophic injury done to his spine (it was nearly severed, according to his lawyer) and the crushed larynx, he should not have been placed in the situation where he could have been injured in ways that would result in his death. Even Limbaugh, known for his racially offensive commentary through the years, cannot justify a death without good cause.

Here's what Limbaugh knew before he made his crass remarks: Freddie Gray had been arrested on April 12 for carrying an illegal switchblade, but it turned out to be a legal folding pocket knife. In short, he should have never been arrested, something admitted at press conferences by Baltimore police officials when they suspended the officers and launched a full internal investigation into Gray's death. He also knew that a fully ambulatory Gray, who was able to yell and talk before getting into the police van, made it to the police station, where he suddenly was unable to walk or talk and needed medical assistance for his fractured vertebrae and crushed larynx. Baltimore police officials admitted that as well. But the police report had said he was arrested without incident. Limbaugh knew this and still said, "Look at how many times the police did not kill Freddie Gray."

No, Limbaugh's derisive tone questioning why this time should be an exception is an unconscionable and backward way of looking at Freddie Gray's entire arrest record. Besides, his arrest record does not pertain to the case at hand. What did his rap sheet have to do with the April 12 incident besides make Gray a repeat offender and someone likely to be questioned by police officers? And even if his earlier arrests in some way did pertain to the incident, in not one of those prior arrests did anyone deserve to be damaged -- and they certainly did not deserve to be placed in circumstances that could lead to their death. (Limbaugh assumes that Gray was never "damaged" before in all his other arrests, but there is growing evidence that the so-called "rough rides" (something Limbaugh may not have known about), where unbuckled and handcuffed suspects are placed facedown in the police transports and are subjected to jolts and batterings by the drivers, are commonplace.)

To the point: There was no rush to judgment by anyone who thought that the police officers involved in the arrest and transport of Freddie Gray should be suspended and perhaps, after a full investigation, charged with some form of criminal neglect or misconduct with regard to his subsequent death. There was ample evidence that Gray received the injuries that ultimately led to his death while in police custody. And, again, Gray's rap sheet is immaterial to what occurred and a distraction to the incident leading up to the young man's death.

So why now, Rush Limbaugh? There is no reason to worry why Freddie Gray wasn't killed during a prior arrest. He wasn't killed. But he was "damaged" enough on April 12's arrest that the injuries resulted in his death seven days after receiving them.

Comedian (and now Senator) Al Franken was correct all those years ago when he wrote his book that exposed Limbaugh for what he most certainly is -- an idiot. As for all those ignorant offenses he committed back then -- well, they probably do not matter these days. But given his audience of malleable mindless dittoheads, the obnoxious verbal offenses he still perpetrates do...