Freddie Gray's youth football coach remembers him as a 'little comedian'

It's been more than half a year since the April spinal injury and death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore police custody sparked a wave of race-related protests over police brutality. His family won a $6.4 million settlement from the city, and the prosecution of six officers charged in his arrest and death is set to begin Nov. 30.

In the meantime, The Baltimore Sun released an in-depth look at the life of Gray, who was 25, including the health effects of his lead paint exposure and his history of arrests on drug charges, with his last conviction in 2012. The story also teases out the lighter moments of Gray's childhood, including his reputation as a jokester.

"He was a fiery little kid and always funny," his youth football coach, Lawrence Jackson, told The Sun. "I remember telling Freddie to be quiet and quit the jokes, while turning my head around so the other kids couldn't see me laughing."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Though Jackson remembers Gray as a "little comedian," others who spoke to the newspaper focused on his criminal record.

"People are going to remember him different ways," said Brandon Ross, a friend of Gray's. "I want to remember him as someone who made the city come together in a tragic situation."

Read The Sun's full report here.