Freddie Gray death in custody: Baltimore braces for funeral of black suspect who died after being detained by police

Protests over the 25-year-old's death turned violent at the weekend

Freddie Gray's funeral is to take place in Baltimore (AP)

Baltimore is bracing for the funeral of Freddie Gray, the young black man whose death in police custody has sparked angry protests and raised more questions about the way some officers treat African American suspects.

The funeral of Mr Gray, 25, is due to take place on Monday, a week after he died, having suffered a broken spine when he was detained by police.

Thousands are expected to attend the service, planned to begin at 11 am Pastor Jamal Bryant, who was to deliver Mr Gray’s eulogy, said he expected Baltimore’s New Shiloh Baptist Church to be filled for the service. A burial is due to follow.

Protests over Freddie Gray's death turned violent (Reuters)

The Associated Press said that the head of President Barack Obama's initiative for young black men will attend. Broderick Johnson, chairman of the My Brother's Keeper Task Force and a Baltimore native, is to be joined by two other administration officials, according to a White House statement.

On Sunday, people who did not even know Mr Gray filed in a steady stream for hours into a funeral home for his wake. Some people stood outside with signs that read “We remember Freddie” and “Our Hearts Are With The Gray Family”.

Mr Gray lay inside in a coffin, dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, white shoes and a Los Angeles Dodgers baseball cap. Above the lid to the coffin was a floral arrangement and inside the lid was a pillow with a screen-printed picture of Mr Gray flanked by doves.

Protests over the death of Freddie Gray turned violent in Baltimore over the weekend (Reuters)

Melissa McDonald, 36, who said she was Mr Gray's cousin, wore a shirt with “Freddie Forever” printed on the back. “He didn't deserve to die the way he did,” she told the AP

Mr Gray's wake followed demonstrations Saturday that turned violent.

Around 1,200 protesters rallied outside Baltimore’s City Hall on Saturday afternoon, officials said. A smaller group splintered off and looted a store and smashed storefront windows.

A protester tossed a flaming metal garbage can toward a line of police officers in riot gear as they tried to push back the crowd. Earlier, a group of protesters smashed the windows of at least three police cars.