Michael Schatzow, center, chief deputy State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, walks to a courthouse for closing arguments in the trial of William Porter, one of six city police officers charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, in Baltimore.
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In its motion, the defense cited a letter that was sent to the parents of Baltimore city school students warning of civil unrest.
As she wrapped up her case, prosecutor Janice Bledsoe told the jury that Porter and his fellow officers displayed “disregard for human life” in their treatment of Gray.
As a Baltimore jury deliberates in the manslaughter trial of a city police officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray, a neighboring school system is avoiding field trips in the city.
Gray’s death was a “horrific tragedy”, but “there is literally no evidence” that Porter is responsible, Murtha said.
In a hearing after the jury was sent home on Friday afternoon, the defense objected to the judge telling jurors that someone can be convicted of manslaughter or assault by failing to do certain acts.
The jurors also puzzled over the meaning of “bad faith” and other terms the judge said they must use to decide whether Officer William Porter is guilty of misconduct in office, the least of the charges against him.
Jurors left the courtroom at about 2:30 p.m. Monday to begin their discussions after the two-week trial.
Bledsoe showed jurors the unfastened seat belt from the transport wagon.
The van stopped three more times as officers checked on Gray, and at one point, Porter opened the van’s doors and lifted Gray to a seated position, although still unbuckled.
But during earlier testimony Porter testified that Gray didn’t ask to be transported to the hospital until the fourth of six stops along the 45-minute ride to the police station after his arrest. She says it will help agencies coordinate any necessary response. “We need everyone in our city to respect the judicial process”, Rawlings-Blake said.
The jury was told to consider Porter’s conduct from the perspective of a reasonable police officer, not as a civilian.
In Chicago on Monday, a county judge acquitted a city police commander accused of shoving his gun down a suspect’s throat, outlining what she said were flaws in the state’s case and stressing that it shouldn’t be conflated with other recent incidents of alleged police misconduct in the city and elsewhere. “This case is based on rush to judgment and fear”. According to testimony, Porter told the van’s driver and a supervisor that Gray had asked for aid but none was summoned.
As the case was being handed to the jury on Monday, the city’s mayor urged citizens to respect the panel’s decision and go about business as usual.
By Porter doing nothing and closing the doors of the wagon, knowing Gray was not OK, the prosecution said, “that van became his casket on wheels”.
Baltimore remains on edge after riots broke out in April on the day of Gray’s funeral. He’s charged with manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
He died of his injuries April 19, sparking protests, looting and arson.
In an hour-long argument, defense attorney Joseph Murtha argued that credibility is not an issue in this trial, where the entire burden of proof lay with the prosecution, who he claimed was playing on the emotions of the jury and asking them to fill in gaps with speculation. The defense also repeatedly put the responsibility of securing and protecting Gray on Officer Caesar Goodson, the driver of the transport van.
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Gray’s death sparked protest and rioting.
