L adies and gentlemen of Maryland, in the case of Robert Clay?s death, any prosecutor summing up would point out emphatically that we could come to only one logical conclusion from the Baltimore City Police Department?s illegal secrecy.
That one conclusion, the prosecutor would say in a voice rising with outrage, is that the police are avoiding investigating what looks to many like murder in the shooting death of the prominent businessman and activist.
Look at the facts. Every reason given for secrecy is specious.
Virtually every important question about the mysterious death and subsequent investigation remains unanswered.
They ignore every cry from family members, friends and community leaders for closure, a closure which would determine if Clay?s death truly was suicide or lead to justice if it was not.
Why else would Commissioner Leonard Hamm withhold details of how a right-handed man shot himself in the left rear of his head and held onto the pistol as he fell dead on the stairs of his office?
Why would the department black out huge portions of the report on an incident police claim was not a crime and is no longer under investigation? Or refuse to release photos of the scene? Or reveal who owned the revolver, stolen in Frederick County and never linked to Clay?
Why would the department withhold the gunshot residue test that could indicate whether Clay?s hand was even on the gun when it discharged the fatal shot?
Clay died May 16, 2005, two days before he was to talk with a Washington Examiner reporter about corruption in Maryland?s minority contracting programs.
No one ever found a suicide note. Police said they didn?t find the death bullet.
Clay?s family and friends state emphatically he was not suicidal.
First, Hamm refused to release information based on legal language intended only to protect an ongoing criminal investigation, which this was not.
Then he claimed deep humanitarian concern for Clay?s family. Those same family members lead the chorus calling for full disclosure, Commissioner Hamm.
The latest flimsy excuse is that city lawyers still are reviewing the formal Public Information Act request. For five months? That really is illegal.
Under law, officials have 10 days to deny a request or they must deliver the documents within 30 days. So, why, the cover-up, ladies and gentlemen of Maryland?
Why?
Hamm easily can rebut suspicion by obeying state law and fully disclosing all information on the tragic death of Robert Clay. Then Mayor ? and now Gov. ? Martin O?Malley would not order him to do so. Because?
New Mayor Sheila Dixon must.
Unless Hamm provides some other reasonable answer, it is not difficult for reasonable people to reach the conclusion that our police department and officials at the highest levels of city government are inexplicably avoiding launching a murder investigation.
