Baltimore's police force is about 50/50 Black/White. (I'm sure there are other colours too.) I think the murder is more to do with police power than race although that's a flat guess on my part. We are having similar incidents in Canada.

As for the mechanism of injury resulting in death, there are ways to damage people without hitting them directly. One example I was taught in wing chun involves propelling an attacker into a stationary object: brick wall, table corner, etc. In the case of Mr Gray, I think he was put in a vehicle with his hands cuffed behind his back. Contrary to the BPD's policy, he was not seat belted Then the vehicle was driven erratically so that he was tossed about by the vehicle's motion, thus having the interior of the vehicle do the damage to him. That's been suggested elsewhere and I think it's correct. I do not think the police meant to kill him, but they certainly demonstrated no deep concern for his well being. Quite the opposite in fact.

There needs to be a complete overhaul of police departments and the cultures therein. Police must come to see that they too are bound by the laws they enforce. It's too late for Freddie Gray in Baltimore, Sammy Yatim in Toronto or Robert Dziekanski in Vancouver.

Police also need to be prosecuted for breaking the law, and if found guilty denied any future place with any police department in their respective countries. There is too much covering up going on. A bent cop is still a bent cop. Period.

YMMV