Midday Roundup: Freddie Gray's death ruled a homicide

Improper arrest. Baltimore’s chief prosecutor, Marilyn Mosby, today called the death of Freddie Gray a homicide and said she had probable cause to file charges against the officers who arrested him. Gray died after sustaining a neck injury while in police custody. Mosby said in a press conference this morning police arrested Gray unjustly and mistreated him while in their custody. Gray was not buckled up in the back of the police van, where he received the injury that caused his death. Nor was he offered timely medical assistance. The charges against the officers range from assault to murder. “No one is above the law,” Mosby said in her announcement.

Unapproved. House Republicans voted today to strike down a local District of Columbia law called the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act. Religious freedom proponents say the law doesn’t accommodate the rights of pro-life employers to conduct business according to the precepts of their faith. Pro-choice supporters say the law protects workers from discrimination should they choose to abort a pregnancy. The District of Columbia is under special oversight by Congress. The vote, called a resolution of disapproval, must pass both houses and be signed by the president, which is unlikely. Even if the resolution fails, Republicans could block the law’s funding.

Day in court. An appointee of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is expected to plead guilty today to charges he abused his position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to cause traffic jams on the George Washington Bridge. Lane closures in September 2013 on the bridge caused severe headaches for commuters. Fort Lee, N.J., Mayor Mark Sokolich said he thinks the lane closures were punishment for his policies. Christie has said he knew nothing about the lane closures until after the fact. If David Wildstein, who ordered the closures, cooperates with investigators, it could shed more light on how much Christie knew and when.

On appeal. The coalition of Houston pastors that lost its case against the city over a controversial anti-bias ordinance filed an appeal on Thursday. The Houston Area Pastors Council sued the city last year after the city attorney invalidated a majority of signatures on a petition drive seeking to put the ordinance on the ballot. Earlier this month, a judge reinstated many of the signatures, but not enough to validate the petition. The pastors have asked the appellate court for an expedited hearing in hopes of meeting the Aug. 18 deadline to get the ordinance on the ballot in November. If the ordinance goes into effect, it would establish sexual orientation as a protected class and could prevent churches and other religious organizations from upholding policies based on a biblical view of sexuality.

Policy shift. The crowdfunding site GoFundMe changed its policy after it shut down two campaigns to raise money for Christian business owners accused of violating anti-discrimination laws. In a blog post this week, GoFundMe said it would not “allow campaigns that benefit individuals or groups facing formal charges or claims of serious violations of the law.” It also added language to its terms of service banning campaigns in defense of “discriminatory acts.” The site shuttered the fund-raising drives to benefit the bakery Sweet Cakes by Melissa in Oregon and Arlene’s Flowers in Washington, both of which face discrimination charges for refusing to service same-sex weddings.

WORLD Radio’s Mary Reichard and the Associated Press contributed to this report.