They sat together, occasionally talking with each other as well as their attorneys.
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And trial strategy will come into play as attorneys determine which officer should head to court first. That would also delay the five other trials, as prosecutors have requested that Porter’s case be heard first. The state indicated in a letter sent to the judge that they want between three and five days to present their case against each officer, and intend to call at least one officer to testify against the others.
Officer William Porter will be the first person to stand trial, accused of causing Freddie Gray’s death. Their trials will be held in February and March.
Judge Barry Williams is holding the scheduling hearing and is expected to decide what order and when they officers will be tried. The trial schedule will be important for city police, who have been preparing for the threat of more civil unrest if the officers are acquitted. But Williams granted the postponements and set the following dates. The judge denied that request and scheduled their clients consistently after Porter’s trial.
Goodson was the only one of the six who did not provide a statement to investigators in the aftermath of the incident.
The motion does not specify any information in the article that the defense claims is incorrect, but questions why a Sun reporter was allowed to be embedded in the police investigation. He said that could be determined only through the jury selection process.
His death sparked long-simmering tensions between Baltimore police and poor neighborhoods in the largely black city – culminating in rioting and looting that left hundreds of businesses damaged and resulted in a citywide curfew.
Goodson is charged with second-degree murder and White faces the lesser charge of manslaughter. White, Rice and Porter are charged with manslaughter.
Officer Garrett Miller, 26, made the arrest with Nero on police bicycle; Miller is charged with second-degree assault, two counts of misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. They will all be charged separately.
White face charges of manslaughter, misconduct in office, assault and reckless endangerment in the death of Freddie Gray in April.
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‘Help me up, ‘ Gray reportedly said before responding affirmatively when Porter asked if he needed a medic. Rice held a yellow notepad. Mosby, who attended the two previous hearings, did not appear at Tuesday’s. There is the logistics of getting six fair and speedy trials on the calendar while giving attorneys time to slog through thousands of pieces of discovery material.
