A digest of Baltimore news from local sources.
From The Baltimore Sun: Baltimore Pastors Criticize Trumps’ Meeting with Black Preachers in New York
"Some high-profile Baltimore pastors are criticizing preachers from other states who traveled Monday to New York to meet with Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump.
"Trump, the businessman and reality television star, emerged from the afternoon meeting with dozens of ministers at Trump Tower in Manhattan, saying he had gained the support of an unidentified number of black preachers from around the country.
"'We have many, many endorsements that came out of the meeting,' Trump told reporters. 'I saw love in that room. I see love everywhere I go. ... I met with 100 people. I will not forget these people.'
"But other African-American preachers said they were dismayed by the meeting. More than 100 black religious leaders, including the Rev. Lawrence W. Rodgers, pastor of the Westside Church of Christ in Baltimore, wrote an open letter in Ebony magazine objecting to the meeting.
"'Mr. Trump routinely uses overtly divisive and racist language on the campaign trail,' the letter stated. 'Most recently, he [said] his supporters were justified for punching and kicking a Black protester who had attended a Trump rally with the intent to remind the crowd that 'Black Lives Matter.' Trump followed this action by tweeting inaccurate statistics about crime prevalence rates in Black communities — insinuating that Black people are more violent than other groups.'”
From The Washington Post: More Prospective Jurors Questioned For Freddie Gray Trial
"A second set of 75 prospective jurors was due to be questioned in a Baltimore court for the first trial of a city police officer stemming from Freddie Gray’s death.
"Tuesday is the second day of jury selection for the trial of Officer William Porter, one of six officers charged in the case, which led to protests and rioting and added fuel to the Black Lives Matter movement.
"On Monday, Judge Barry Williams questioned about 75 prospective jurors. A second group of 75 would be questioned Tuesday. On Wednesday, some of the potential jurors from each group will advance to a second round of questioning.
"On Monday, Williams conducted initial questioning in the marble-walled courtroom, and then interviewed dozens of the prospective jurors in a private conference room. The large jury pool suggests how difficult the selection process could prove to be."
For More on the Freddie Gray Trials:
Live Coverage from The Baltimore Sun
"What You Need to Know about the Freddie Gray Case" from The Baltimore Sun