The department said in an earlier statement that despite the end of the criminal case, an internal investigation is ongoing. “In the case of any disturbance in the city, we are prepared to respond”.
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And the December trial of Officer William Porter resulted in a hung jury.
With two trials and no convictions in the death of Baltimore’s Freddie Gray, critics say that the prosecution may have moved too fast in bringing charges against police officers involved. Van driver Officer Caesar Goodson is scheduled to go next and faces the most serious charges. When the judge said he was not guilty, Nero stood up and hugged his attorney, and appeared to wipe away a tear.
The judge acquitted Officer Edward Nero of official misconduct, assault, and reckless endangerment charges when Gray was apprehended about a year ago outside a housing complex in West Baltimore.
NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton slammed Baltimore’s state attorney Tuesday after her office failed to convict a second cop in the death of Freddie Gray. Gray, many observers were pleased that justice was being carried out so quickly, especially following the decisions not to prosecute officers in other high-profile deaths of black men at the hands of police officers in Ferguson, Mo., and New York City. Kelly asked, adding that the evidence showed the officer had “virtually no interaction” with Gray.
About a dozen protesters gathered outside the courthouse as the verdict was read, but they were far outnumbered by members of the media.
Law professor Chris O’Brien at the State University of NY at Buffalo said Miller’s testimony that he had arrested Gray would make prosecuting him much more hard since it was done under immunity.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake noted the departmental review and pleaded for calm.
“We once again ask the citizens to be patient and to allow the entire process to come to a conclusion”. The other officers could be spared for similar reasons. Miller is charged with second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
It remains to be seen how prosecutors will handle the cases of the four untried officers as well as Porter’s.
Pettit said the fact that Porter’s case proceeded all the way to jury deliberations – with Williams denying motions to dismiss the charges outright or for a judgment of acquittal after the state rested its case – showsthe chargeshad some merit in the eyes of the court.
The issue of officers not being aware of new or updated policies was raised in the trials of an officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old black man who was injured in police custody and died a week later. His death set off protests and rioting that month. Prosecutors allege that they ignored Gray’s injuries and failed to secure him in a seat belt.
That view might have bearing on the case against Officer Garrett Miller, Nero’s partner, who testified under immunity that he arrested Gray and handcuffed him, Jaros said.
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Both the state and defense delivered closing arguments Thursday.
