This weekend on MHP, Baltimore demands justice.
25-year-old Freddie Gray died on April 19th of a severe spinal cord injury he suffered while in police custody, after initially being arrested after making eye contact with a police lieutenant. The resulting protests, both peaceful and disruptive, have pushed Baltimore’s government and police force to answer for his death and take stock of the city’s broken system.
And then, a breakthrough. On Friday, Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby brought charges against six officers for Freddie Gray’s death. The officers face a range of charges including manslaughter, false imprisonment and misconduct in office. The officer who drove the police van is being charged with second-degree depraved-heart murder.
Joining Melissa Harris-Perry on all things Baltimore are:
- Dave Zirin, Sports Editor for The Nation
- Cherrell Brown, Community Organizer
- Marc Steiner, Host of “The Marc Steiner Show” on WEAA
- Lester Spence, Associate Professor of Political Science and Africana Studies at Johns Hopkins University
- Sherrilyn Ifill, President & Director-Counsel of NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
And, it’s sports day on MHP. First, the fight of the century. Two giants (read: welterweights) of boxing, Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, will face off Saturday night in Las Vegas for what could be boxing’s last hope. The sport has fallen from favor in recent years, as MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) has seen its popularity rise. However, 3 million people are expected to tune into the fight on pay-per-view at a record $100 a pop. Boxing may be down, but it’s not out.
Then, the NFL kicks off the season with new talent and – a new code of conduct. After a year of scandals for the league, the organization is making it clearer than ever before that violations will have serious consequences. The code may be particularly relevant as this year’s first-draft pick Jameis Winston has previously been accused of sexual assault. Joining the sports roundtable are: Tune in to Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday at 10am ET on msnbc. Join the conversation—share your thoughts about these issues on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #nerdland.
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