Sometimes I forget about what is important in life, as I’m insulated from reality and tend to watch the non-sporting world pass by with hardly a care. I have a nice home, no financial issues, a couple of spoiled dogs and some people for whom I care greatly. It’s a pretty good gig being Danny Bridges, and while I could stand to lose a few pounds, life is sweet and then some.
I’ve been fortunate to submit my perspective regarding sports to the Indianapolis Recorder for a number of years now, and I generally stay in my lane. Occasionally I will get a bit carried away, but it’s just sports, and that’s why I’m more than happy to let others do the heavy lifting and solve the real problems while I write about an athlete, a team or a league. Again, I’m comfortable on my favorite beach, with a laptop, listening to the Rolling Stones, eating a good pastrami sandwich. Don’t bother me with the real world, if you don’t mind; I’ve got a game to watch.
Like many people, I’m not around much (if any) violence, even though in between surfing numerous sports websites and newspapers every morning before dawn, I do from time to time look at things that, more and more recently, make me ask questions and seek answers. A couple of months back, I read the horrific story regarding Aaron Bailey and how he was killed when two IMPD officers fired at him after a chase during which Bailey’s automobile crashed. It was determined that the man was unarmed and died when the officers allegedly opened fire at his vehicle. Sixty days later, that’s really all we know about this tragedy, and I seem to be in the minority when I say that’s unacceptable. I continue to ask people closer to this situation than I am: How in the hell did all this transpire?
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett didn’t want the hot potato in his lap, so he outsourced it to his buddies in the FBI, whom he knows well from his days as a prosecutor. The handoff looked clean at first, as it provided an opportunity for transparency and an investigation that was independent from, shall we say, governing one of his own. Fast forward two months, and you have Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry, who apparently saw the FBI report and decided he, too, would call an audible and hand it off to a special prosecutor. The fact that both he and Hogsett are content to “outsource” this lightning rod of a case tells me they don’t want to lock horns with the Fraternal Order of Police and any other faction that represents the officers who fired the shots that killed Bailey. It’s also possible they think this strategy will provide them with the ability to conveniently point their collective fingers at the special prosecutor in the event something goes wrong. Either way, it’s a crock, and the crickets we hear from their respective offices greatly discredits their alleged transparency.
Some will point to Bailey’s criminal history and will say had he not fled the police, he’d be alive today. I’ll counter that ridiculousness by asking why they didn’t shoot to apprehend, as opposed to using lethal force, giving Bailey a chance to live, instead of sending him to the county morgue. Seems logical to me, but then again, I wasn’t there and I can only speculate as to why such actions were taken rather than an alternative approach. One thing is for certain, and that is 60 days later, there is nobody in the mayor’s office, the police department or the FOP saying squat about what the FBI report says. They all know, and I’m willing to wager it will point to a homicidal indictment of the officers who shot and killed Bailey.
Taking time to make sure every angle is reviewed is one thing; dragging your feet and allowing time to elapse in hopes our memories fade is another. There’s been plenty of time to determine what happened and how it should be handled, but for no apparent reason other than they can do what they want, we still know very little other than Bailey was shot in the back. Why aren’t people demanding answers? Doesn’t anyone outside of Bailey’s family even care? Shouldn’t there be a demand that those responsible for this homicide be held accountable?
Tomorrow, both officers in question will continue to draw their salaries while on administrative leave. Aaron Bailey, on the other hand, is still dead, as his family continues to pry at the City of Indianapolis for information, reasoning and, hopefully, justice. Those things are certainly more important than sports, and even an old scribe who typically writes about a ball going through a hoop or a salary cap issue can figure it out. Too bad the various principals involved in resolving this tragic charade of an investigation can’t figure it out as well.
Danny Bridges, who never knew Aaron Bailey but still hopes his murder will not be swept under the political rug, can be reached at (317) 370-8447 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
