Prosecutors on Wednesday dropped all remaining charges against the three Baltimore police officers who were still awaiting trial in Freddie Gray’s death, blaming police for a biased investigation that failed to produce a single conviction.
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At press conference after her decision to drop charges, Mosby said her decision was based on a “dismal likelihood” of a conviction after four unsuccessful attempts in netting convictions. Trials for Officers Alicia White and William Porter had been scheduled for the fall.
Some time ago protests caused by Gray’s death forced the government to start acting but, now as time passed, everybody seems to have forgotten how this case had made its way to the courtroom. That contradicted Allan’s own testimony. “I was elected the prosecutor”, Mosby said in her first public remarks on the case in more than a year, after a judge lifted a gag order that prevented lawyers from discussing it. “It was sort of more by lower command”.
“She’s immature, she’s incompetent, she’s vindictive, and that’s not how the justice system is supposed to work”, he said. Porter and White had been suspended without pay until Wednesday, when Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped all charges against them.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis says the state’s attorney’s decision to drop the remaining charges against three Baltimore police officers was a thoughtful one that will help the city forward.
State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby said last May that prosecutors had conducted a “comprehensive, thorough and independent investigation”.
“We need to talk to them and we do talk to them, but no immunized testimony was ever disclosed to the clean team by the filter team, by us or by anybody else”, Schatzow said.
The prosecution’s announcement Wednesday closed the criminal cases against the officers. “For over a year, my office has been forced to remain silent in all six of the cases pertaining to and surrounding the death of Freddie Gray, despite being physically and professionally threatened, mocked, ridiculed, harassed and even sued”, she said. Protests and demonstrations took place across the nation in the days after Gray’s death.
Mosby’s prosecution team had tried to prove that the six BPD officers on trial had subjected Gray to a “rough ride” – intentionally neglecting to secure his seat belt while he was handcuffed in the back of their police van in an effort to harm him while the van drove to the station.
Mosby said the case showed “an inherent bias that is a direct result of when police police themselves”.
“It’s scary”, said Moore who can be seen in the video below recorded shortly after Freddie Gray’s death became national news, “When I get my camera and go outside, I never know”. Lt. Brian W. Rice, the highest ranking police officer present during the April 12 arrest past year, and was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, and reckless endangerment.
The U.S. Department of Justice is also in the final stages of a civil rights investigation reviewing the Baltimore Police Department.
“She came back with this advertisement in the police headquarters”, he said.
Gray was arrested for allegedly possessing an illegal switchblade.
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump (“She ought to prosecute herself”) and the union representing city police. “The defendants filed motions to keep out of evidence whether the knife was legal or illegal”.
Miller had faced assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges.
William Porter was trial by jury, who deadlocked, and it was then declared a mistrial.
Though unable to obtain convictions, Mosby has not changed her mind as to the nature of Gray’s death.
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“We’re disappointed in the outcome of the trials, but we’re going to continue to be fighters for Freddie”, he said. “Now they have told us some things and maybe they have told us everything they know”.
