A bench trial means a judge determines the verdict.
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Rice led the pursuit that resulted in Gray’s arrest.
In May 2015, Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced that the six police officers linked to Gray’s death would face charges ranging from assault to second-degree murder.
“The reality we have here – you, your office, whoever, didn’t do what you’re supposed to”, Williams told the prosecution.
As for the initial arrest, Rice called out for officers to pursue Gray through Gilmor Homes, but it was Nero and Officer Garrett Miller who answered the request and detained and searched Gray. Schatzow said prosecutors did not want to seek a subpoena.
Because of the judge’s gag order, prosecutors can not comment on the case outside of the courtroom.
Rice, who is white, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of official misconduct. He is free on $350,000 bail.
In the most serious charge, he is accused of failing to secure Gray with a seat belt when he helped load him into the arrest van.
Williams found Officer Edward Nero not guilty in May on all four misdemeanor charges for his role in the events leading up to the death of Gray. Two other police officers charged in the case were acquitted, and the proceeding against a third officer was declared a mistrial.
Observers say Goodson’s acquittal likely signals the improbability that any of the remaining officers will be convicted on the various lesser charges they face. Williams denied several pretrial motions of the defense to dismiss the charges Tuesday. The Baltimore Sun previously reported that Detective Dawnyell Taylor said she felt prosecutors presented misleading evidence to grand jurors. But the judge ordered the documents excluded from the case, saying the late disclosure amounted to a discovery violation. Williams admonished the prosecutor for not following the appropriate channels when police did not respond to requests for the documents.
Defense attorneys argue that two recent disclosures in the case revealed prosecutorial misconduct. For example, he said, the public has yet to hear the statement Rice gave investigators. Last week, Rice, and the three other officers awaiting trial, filed a motion to dismiss all of the charges citing a “defect” in prosecution.
Prosecutors said the city did not turn over the documents until last week, and that they passed them on to the defense the next day.
“Why would you expect the court to allow you to drop 4,000 pages on the defense a few days before trial without repercussions?” the judge countered. In fact, in the cases of the two officers who were acquitted, Judge Williams has said the officers acted reasonably.
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Williams’ order means the documentation of Rice’s training will not be admissible as evidence in court.
