Maryland Lawmakers Begin Hearings on Police Reforms After Riot

A Maryland legislative task force began hearings on Monday on law-enforcement reforms, spurred by the death of a black man from injuries in Baltimore police custody.
Many lawmakers hope that the death of Freddie Gray which caused protests and rioting in Baltimore in April, can galvanize the Democratic-controlled state Assembly into passing police reforms that have stalled in the statehouse.
Maryland is among a number of states grappling with reforms amid allegations of police brutality, especially against black men.
Initial testimony before the 20-member panel centered on diversity in police staffing. Officials from the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services said 51 percent of Baltimore officers were white, while the city is 63 percent black.