They Killed Freddie Gray: The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up

by Justine Barron, Rabia Chaudry (Foreword)

Based on new evidence and deep reporting, the riveting truth about a case that has become a touchstone in the struggle for racial justice and Black lives.

They Killed Freddie Gray exposes a conspiracy among Baltimore leaders to cover up what actually happened to Freddie Gray, who was fatally injured in police custody in April 2015. After Gray’s death, Baltimore became ground zero for Black Lives Matter and racial justice protests that exploded across the country. State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby became a hero when she charged six officers in Gray’s death, and the trials of the officers generated national headlines for two years.

Yet the cause of Gray’s death has remained a mystery. A viral video showed an officer leaning on Gray’s back while he cried out in pain. But the autopsy concluded he was fatally injured later that morning while the van was in motion—during a multi-stop “rough ride”—from sudden impact to his head. None of the officers were convicted of any crimes based on this theory.

They Killed Freddie Gray solves the mystery of Gray’s death by uncovering new evidence of how he was killed by police and how his cause of death was covered up. In coordination with a documentary film now being produced, this book revisits a pivotal moment in US criminal justice history, providing new insight into what happened, the historical structures of power that allowed it to happen, and the personalities and dynamics involved—a story never told by the mainstream media. It includes a detailed map with annotations by the author, photographs, and a foreword by Rabia Chaudry.

Genres: Nonfiction, True Crime, Crime, Social Issues, History, Social Justice, Race

368 pages, Hardcover

Published August 15, 2023

Reviews

[Kevin]

On the part of the Baltimore Police Department, there is either colossal incompetence or fathomless corruption. There can be no third alternative.

[Ms_luv2read]

I remember this like it was yesterday. I remember seeing the video of Freddie Gray behind led to the transport van and his legs looking as if they were broken as it appeared he had no control of them any more. I remember the media presence, the riots, and the announcement that the officers in charge would be prosecuted. At that time, I did feel as many others, it was a ruse to try and calm the resulting situation down. This book captures the moment and the aftermath of this man’s journey from the time of his entering into police custody until his death. It takes you to the anguish the people of Baltimore felt, the mind of the officers involved as well as the stances of those involved in this situation. The book presents the facts clearly and consistently and you will take from it what you will. Very good book on this case and very well written. I highly recommend this writing to anyone who wants to know more about the arrest and death of Freddie Gray to read this book. Kudos to the author. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest thoughts on the book. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on my review.

[Kevin]

Like nearly everything in today’s America, I remember the discussion around the Freddie Gray murder and its aftermath divided into two distinct camps. On the right, there was the reflexive defense of cops, the disregard for poor Black lives, and often the embrace of crackpot theories on his death. On the left, there was the knowledge of pervasive abuse of those same poor and Black lives by cops in Baltimore and elsewhere, and the easy acceptance of any narrative that promulgated that frame. What’s amazing is both sides ended up landing on the same outline of how Freddie Gray was killed: in the van, during transport. While the various players – congenitally dishonest individual cops, a police department covering itself, the “progressive” inept prosecutor, and the in-bed-with-them-all local media and medical examiner – lacked some internal consistency, they all had in common this frame long before facts were examined and that they discounted actual (poor Black) witnesses or never listened to them in the first place. What followed was the inevitable Kabuki theater of “investigations,” media plays, and none of the charges sticking. Barron’s book does an essential service of looking at the bountiful available evidence and the motives of each of these players.

The book seems to be getting little local play in the media here in Baltimore. (The Sun, I'm looking at you.) It’s not too much of a jump to assume that media doesn’t want to hear just how wrong they got their top story of the past few decades. Black lives be damned.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer]

In the book “they killed Freddie Gray“ they have a lot of things that will cause you to clinch your fist and feel angry but the thing that made me sad was thinking of his friend Mr. Ross running to stop two knowing he had no power to stop it from happening but at the very least wanting to be an advocate and witness for his friend Freddie gray. That isn’t the only thing that made me sad in this book it’s actually just one of many when they arrested Freddie gray in Baltimore in 2015 little did he know his life was over no because men in uniform thought it would be funny to screw around with him. taking a man put under arrest for “a ride “was a common thing with the Baltimore police just like most games insecure people with a little power play this time someone wound up dead. I admire Freddy Grace sister Miss Jones who let a tireless fight wanting those who killed her brother to pay for their actions and although she would Not be satisfied in her endeavor she did make a difference. This was a very interesting book but I fear it’s the same old same old those in power trampling on those without thankfully things like that are changing and although it may not look like it this book is a great example of that this is a definite must read. I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Books All]

“They Killed Freddie Gray: The Anatomy of a Police Brutality Cover-Up” by Justine Barron is a gripping and deeply investigative work that revisits one of the most pivotal cases in the fight for racial justice in the United States. Centered on the 2015 death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore police custody, the book goes far beyond the headlines, challenging the official narrative and exposing the layers of systemic failure that followed. Barron’s writing is both compelling and urgent, drawing readers into a story that is as unsettling as it is necessary.

What sets this book apart is its meticulous research and the presentation of new evidence that questions the widely accepted explanation of Gray’s death. While initial reports and the autopsy suggested that Gray suffered fatal injuries during a ‘rough ride’ in a police van, Barron carefully reconstructs the timeline and highlights inconsistencies that point toward a different truth. Through witness accounts, overlooked testimonies, and video evidence, she builds a powerful argument that what happened to Gray was not only preventable but deliberately obscured.

Beyond the investigation itself, Barron provides a nuanced portrayal of the people involved—witnesses, police officers, and community members alike. She humanizes each figure, offering insight into their motivations, fears, and the environment that shaped their actions. Her inclusion of perspectives from former police officers is particularly striking, as it sheds light on the institutional culture and training that may contribute to both acts of brutality and subsequent cover-ups. This layered storytelling makes the book not just an exposé, but also a broader commentary on systemic injustice.

Ultimately, “They Killed Freddie Gray” is more than a recounting of a single tragedy—it is a call to confront uncomfortable truths about power, accountability, and the narratives we accept. This book is an eye-opening, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page, urging readers to question, reflect, and demand change.

[Madison ✨ (mad.lyreading)]

This book takes every piece of documentation regarding the death of Freddie Gray and goes through each piece with a fine tooth comb to give every piece of evidence the light of day it deserves. This book exhausted me, as a criminal defense attorney, because of the amount of energy put into this case by the authors -- knowing that the end result was a complete lack of justice. In showing the issues in the case itself, the authors also shed light on the issues within the Baltimore Police Department and our police state as a whole. Incredible deep dive for those who are interested. My only complaint is that sometimes the amount of detail made things difficult to follow. Regardless, it is clear through this book the amount of passion and anger the authors had toward the injustice that occurred.

Thank you to Skyhouse Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Erika]

2.5⭐️
I will preface this by saying that I am not a typical non-fiction reader, but I would not penalize writing for blatantly being what I know I do not prefer going in. I did stop and think hard about a lot of things throughout this, so the goal of reading this was accomplished.

It has taken me a long time to get through this book. I went into this hoping it would open my eyes to things that I have not experienced and do not know firsthand. And in ways it definitely did. However, that only happened sparingly within the book. The cyclical environment within the city, with politics and police departments, is a problem and should be addressed. I think this entire situation could have been handled better in all aspects by all parties involved. The discussion of the environment within Gilmor Homes and how hard it is to break that cycle is impactful. Hearing the stories from the witnesses and what their experiences were through this, and still remains, is huge. Those people deserve to be heard. The Acknowledgement section thanks those witnesses and states that this book was written for them, but it does not feel that way.

This book seems very aggressively opinionated under the guise that it is providing facts. Putting superscripts throughout a book doesn't mean you are exempt from bending narratives to your own agenda. The entire book was not written this way, but there are enough incidents within it that it begins to lose its credibility somewhat.

The underlying message is clear. The execution is impactful, but loses the reader in the order and formatting of the book itself. The timeline becomes a little jumbled, and it is hard to follow at some points.

Thank you, NetGalley and SkyHorse Publishing, for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Shelby Brown]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free e-arc of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

In this book, Justine Barron examines the case of Freddie Gray, a Black man who was killed in police custody, and the resulting cover up by the city of Baltimore, and the police.

This book should be required reading for everyone, even non Americans. The author did an amazing job researching this case, and uncovering evidence that was hidden from the public. She laid out the evidence and timeline in an easy to understand manner, and makes it clear how Gray was failed, by literally everyone involved in this case. This book was hard to read; the details are heartbreaking and infuriating. But it needed to be written. People need to know this has happened, and continues to happen, and will do so unless change is made. I highly recommend this book

[Lily]

With everything that's happened the last few years, if you live in the US you've heard of the BLM movement, and at least some of the killings of POC at the hands of police (especially Black men). This focuses on one such killing - and the people who got away with it. Well-researched, and pulling no punches, Barron dives deep into not only the death but the aftermath, and where the system failed. I honestly cannot recommend this enough to everyone - it's a book that needs to be read if we want to even begin to understand how corrupt things have become, and how innocent lives like Freddie's can be lost.

[Ben]

I was living and working in Baltimore when police killed Freddie Gray. I thought i followed all that happened closely and knew all there was to know. But what i knew-even though I thought i was being skeptical of any “official report” - was riddled with fiction. This book blew me away. Justine Barron goes literally piece by piece through every possible aspect of the case and shows how nothing fed to the public was accurate. And most of those feeding the public either knew it was not accurate or didn’t care. This book isnt just about showing us all that happened but it should teach so many what to be on the lookout for the next time. And sadly, there will be a next time.

[patty]

This book is so well written and researched. It read like fiction because of how human the author made Freddie Gray feel. With so much misinformation out there from a combination of the Baltimore Police Department and mass media, I felt like I was being introduced to Gray for the first time. He wasn't portrayed as a hero or saint but a real fleshed out person. I was angry throughout about how awful the cops were in the BPD. For anyone interested in recent history and policing that needs reworked, this book is for you!

[Scott]

This book was in desperate need of an editor. It was repetitive, dense, and lacked a narrative line throughout. It felt like 15 discrete articles taking issue with individual pieces of the case. It was particularly disappointing because it is so shockingly thorough and well researched. The source material was excellent the arguments compelling but that was overtaken by a text that was painful to get through.

[Alan]

This book completely changed the way I understood what happened to Freddie Gray. Justine Barron digs deep and uncovers details you won’t hear in the news. It’s well-researched but super readable, and honestly, pretty shocking. If you care about justice and want to know the real story behind the headlines, this is a must-read.

[G.Jackson]

To this book was sad and tragic. For a system that is meant to protect its citizens, it would appear that the corruption runs deep. I could write so much more but I won’t, I going to move on with reading something hopeful

[Theresa Sivelle]

This is a sad story. I was so appalled this something like this is happening still. I did think that there was a lot of information that seemed to be repetitive.

[Ky]

I very needed book to understand the crookedness of the police and a glimpse into the life a a man who deserved to still be alive

[Amy Robertson]

I knew that police corruption was bad, but not that bad. Wow.