It has been more than two weeks since Baltimore police dragged Freddie Gray into the paddy-wagon from which he would emerge, half an hour later, with a fatal injury to his spine. But as another day ticks by, Gray’s neighbors and fellow citizens remain largely uninformed about what occurred in that van, and why.

As was true in a spate of recent death-in-custody cases, the Baltimore police department’s seeming reluctance (or inability) to mount a prompt, thorough investigation of its own officers has generated escalating protests, fueled by existing distrust of the police and suggestions of a cover-up.

But in this case it wasn’t just the thin blue line of solidarity shielding the cops involved from having to testify against themselves or each other.

The problem, said Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, is that city officials were unable to “fully engage” with the officers “because of our Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights.”

That such a bill of rights exists was news to many in Maryland. But the mayor was correct to note the […]