Rice was the highest ranking of the six police officers charged in the high-profile case by Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby. Porter and White face manslaughter among their charges, while Miller is charged with assault and other crimes.
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In this latest case, prosecutors had charged Rice with manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office; just days before Gray’s death, the Baltimore Police Department had changed its policy to mandate officers seatbelt all those they arrest.
The highest ranked Baltimore officer was acquitted of all charges he received in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, a black man who died from injuries while in police custody.
The scrutiny isn’t over for Rice.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said in a statement Monday that Rice would now face an administrative review by the police department.
“I’m disgusted, as usual, and they’re sending a daily message all across the world that our lives don’t matter, and that’s sad”, said Tawanda Jones outside the courthouse Monday.
The verdict could renew calls from police union leaders to drop charges against the remaining officers. “The citizens of Baltimore deserve better from Mrs. Mosby’s office”.
The Obama administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to reconsider the president’s plan to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation once the court again has nine members.
Prosecutors said Rice acted negligently by failing to place Gray in a seat belt.
“There are a number of possibilities the court could entertain, some that are innocent and some that are not”.
“He should certainly be held responsible and held accountable for what happened to Freddie Gray”, another protester demanded.
Williams on Monday morning found Lieutenant Brian Rice not guilty of all charges relating to the detention and death of Freddie Gray.
But legal analysts said any subsequent trials should be canceled.
As this most recent trial began, the prosecution continued along pretty much the same path which has led to exactly zero convictions so far.
Dr. Matthew Ammerman, a neurosurgeon, concluded that Gray’s neck injury occurred immediately before the van’s final stop.
You can argue the relative value and ethics of those motivations – how public safety might have been served, whether the state’s attorney gets to bring a case because it might quell civil unrest.
The request is a long shot, and Acting Solicitor General Ian Heath Gershengorn acknowledged in the filing that it is “exceedingly rare” for the court to grant such a petition. Officer Williams Porter’s trial resulted in a hung jury and he awaits a new trial, while Officers Nero and Goodson were acquitted by Judge Williams. He was not buckled in with a seat-belt while he was riding in the back of a police van, restrained by handcuffs.
Defence lawyer Warren Alperstein, who was observing the trial, said he was “not surprised by the verdict whatsoever”.
Gray’s death set of protest and rioting, the worst the city has endured in decades. Family and supporters of Freddie Gray, have called the verdicts profoundly unjust.
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“Though they may have been ordered by Mosby to do what they did, that is no defense”. Gray died a week later.
