Baltimore Judge Calls Mistrial For Officer William G.Porter In The Death Of Freddie Gray
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| What Will Happen Next In The City Of Baltimore |
It's unclear whether the state will pursue a retrial of the cop, William Porter. An administrative hearing has been scheduled for Thursday to potentially schedule a new court date.
The jury deliberated over three days, signaling at one point that they might not reach a unanimous decision.
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| Freddie Gray |
Jurors told the court Tuesday they were deadlocked but the judge sent them back to deliberate.
Porter faced second-degree assault, involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office charges.
He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, as have the other five officers charged in connection to Gray’s death.
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| Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Black |
Gray died in April from a severe spinal injury while in custody after being arrested when he fled from the police.
Porter allegedly failed to get medical help for Gray as the transport vehicle carrying the suspect made several stops in Baltimore after picking him up on the way to the police station.
Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake urged calm in the wake of the decision.
"This is our American system of justice. Twelve Baltimore residents listened to the evidence presented and were unable to render a unanimous decision," she said in the statement released on her Twitter account.
"In the coming days, if some choose to demonstrate peacefully to express their opinion, that is there constitutional right.
I urge everyone to remember that collectively, our reaction needs to be one of respect for our neighborhoods, and for the residents and businesses of our city," she said.
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| William G. Porter(One Of The Officers Charged Of Freddie Gray's Death) |
"I know that many of my neighbors have been following this trial closely, and many may be disappointed by today’s outcome.
Each of us will continue to struggle with the very raw, very real emotions the death of Mr. Freddie Gray invokes," he said.
The police department officials canceled all time off this week so they can be fully staffed if a verdict is reached. The city is on edge as Gray's death in April prompted protests and riots across the city and a temporary state of emergency was put into effect.
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| Officers Charged Of Freddie Gray's Death |
Prosecutors say it would have taken just two clicks for Officer William Porter to save Freddie Gray's life: one click to buckle the shackled man into a seatbelt in the back of the police transport van; another click to call into his police radio for an ambulance after Gray said he needed a medic.
But Porter's attorneys say he did more than enough for Gray on the day the detainee's neck was broken in the back of the van. They say Gray's death had nothing to do with the officer's actions.
A Baltimore jury on Monday began deliberating the fate of Porter, the first of six officers charged in Gray's death to stand trial. He's charged with manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.
Deliberations continue Tuesday.
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