Re Freddie Gray: Was there a third prisoner in the van?

Does that explain the discrepancy between the Washington Post's initial report of --

...a 38-year-old man accused of violating a protective order...

-- wishing to remain anonymous (as originally posted and discussed at ATS here), with the subsequent identification of Donte Allen -- a much younger 22-year-old man -- as the passenger, who was arrested for stealing. Mr. Allen also told a somewhat different story than that which was originally reported by the Washington Post. Some accused Mr. Allen of being an "imposter."

The Washington Post has since "corrected" their account:

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly described the prisoner in the van as a 38-year-old man accused of violating a protective order. This version has been corrected.

When I first read about the obviously conflicting accounts, I wondered if there might have been a third passenger, but dismissed it because the timeline didn't seem to leave room to have picked up and dropped off another prisoner before picking up Donte Allen, and everything I'd seen and read about the van indicated only two compartments... until I read this at the New York Times:

Police vans can have a third compartment.

Complete with a cut-away diagram of just that -- a police van with three compartments; even specifically indicating which compartment Freddie Gray was in. And it wasn't the full-sized compartment on the left, but one of the two smaller compartments on the right. The NY Times seems pretty darn sure that Freddie Gray was not only transported in a three-compartment van, but exactly which compartment. How would they know that?

And is it possible? But why would it not be reported that there was another passenger? Would it somehow benefit the prosecution? Or the defense? Other than a judge issuing a gag order, would the SA or the defense attorneys have the power/authority to keep it from the public? And why do the media keep reporting in terms of two-compartment vehicles instead of three-compartment van, if that is in fact the van Freddie Gray was transported in? Am I missing something?

I'm not making any statements or assertions ... simply asking questions and wondering out loud about things that make me go "hmmmmm".....

ETA: If someone more savvy than me can post the diagram of the three-compartment van, I would greatly appreciate it, and I'm sure others would as well

Wow! Four plus hours after posting and not even one comment? I understand no stars and flags since this is all speculation... but not even one comment pointing out something obvious to everyone but me? I expected to have to hang my head in shame and embarassment... now I'm just laughing at myself!

At least I'll go to sleep with a smile on my face. Good night folks!

I'd hate to see you hang your head in shame...


I think there was almost certainly some wrong doing. The fact that the tape of the pickup has disappeared is ridiculously stupid. But no lawyer worth his salt is going to allow any of these guys to hang for murder. The charges were highly politicized, and now it's going to bite the DA in the ass when these guys/gal walk. Which really compounds the problem.

a reply to: Boadicea

So it appears Chevrolet came out and gave description and images of the van used, here you go:

The police van in which Freddie Gray supposedly sustained his fatal injuries does not come with a bolt sticking out from the back door, Chevrolet has confirmed.

Designs from the car maker show that the Chevrolet Express - the vehicle used by the Baltimore Police Department - is smooth on the inside of both cage doors.

Chevrolet spokesman Michael Albano confirmed to Daily Mail Online that the standard issue Chevrolet Express Police Transport Van has bolts that are built into the door and don't stick out.

Mr Albano said that law enforcement agencies are known to customise their own vehicles and that the Baltimore Police Department may have done so to their fleet.

The development raises a number of questions about the official account put out by the force which emerged today in a report of its internal investigation into Gray's death.

The link also provides an image of the interior:

Link to web page photos

I do not profess to know much about this case, just replying to your request for info on the van, this was all I could find.

a reply to: civpop

Thank you. I was thinking more about the third compartment more than the protuding bolts, but the pics certainly seem to show bolts which are flush with the walls, so I don't see how that could have caused his injury.

One of the pics at the link does show a van with two passenger side doors, which would seem to indicate a third compartment in some vans. Just like the NYT article described. Hmmmm...

originally posted by: _Del_

But no lawyer worth his salt is going to allow any of these guys to hang for murder. The charges were highly politicized, and now it's going to bite the DA in the ass when these guys/gal walk. Which really compounds the problem.

Thanks for posting the pic -- much appreciated!

We'll see what happens. I'm not making any guesses at this point. It has been so politicized on all sides that I really have no idea what to expect...