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Boehner: Tension between blacks, law enforcement a national crisis

by Ben Kamisar - 05/01/15 2:34 PM ET

Speaker John Boehner said he believes there is a national crisis over the relationship between blacks and law enforcement in an interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”

“I do,” he said when “Meet the Press” host Chuck Todd asked him about whether a crisis exists.

{mosads}“I think that if you look at what’s happened in the course of the last year, you just have to scratch your head.”

Boehner added that the fact that six officers are facing charges in the death of Freddie Gray, a Baltimore man who suffered a fatal spinal injury in a police van, is troubling.

“Public servants should not violate the law. If these charges are true, it’s outrageous and it’s unacceptable,” he said.

The speaker’s comments came just hours after Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced the charges at a Friday press conference. She said the driver of the police van will face second-degree murder charges, while other officers will face charges including involuntary manslaughter and assault.

An investigation by Mosby’s office found that Gray was not adequately buckled into the van; lying on the floor, his hands and feet were bound as the van was driven about.

Tags John Boehner