Page 6 - MIN JUS 30 SEPT 2015

U.S. NEWS A5
Wednesday 30 September

1st trial in Baltimore police death case set for Nov. 30

From left to right, Attorneys Marc Zayon, Michael Belsky, Chaz ment and misconduct in media coverage they say
Ball and Mike Davey leave Courthouse East after a scheduling office in the death of Gray. could prejudice a jury. The
hearing for Caesar Goodson, Edward Nero, Garrett Miller, Brian Gray died April 19, a week judge kept the door open
Rice, Alicia White, and William Porter, police officers charged in after he was injured. His to re-evaluate his deci-
the death of Freddie Gray, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, in Baltimore. death led to protests and sion should the state and
Zayon represents Nero, Belsky and Ball represent Rice and Dav- rioting in Baltimore, and defense run into problems
ey is with the Fraternal Order of Police. was among the incidents seating a jury.
that spurred a protest Prosecutors have suggest-
(Kim Hairston /The Baltimore Sun via AP) movement over the treat- ed in a letter to the judge
ment of blacks by police in that the state intends to
JULIET LINDERMAN Judge Barry Williams de- America. It also shed light call Porter to testify against
Associated Press cided Tuesday that Officer on long-standing and sys- Sgt. Alicia White, who faces
BALTIMORE (AP) — The first William Porter will go on tri- temic disenfranchisement the same charges he does,
trial for six Baltimore officers al first. He is accused of fail- of African-Americans in the and Officer Caesar Good-
charged in the death of a ing to provide or request city. son, who faces an addi-
black man who died af- medical care for Freddie Prosecutors said they in- tional “depraved-heart”
ter being injured in policer Gray and not securing him tend to call Porter as a wit- murder charge.
custody will be held Nov. safely in a van. Porter faces ness against at least two Goodson will be tried Jan.
30, and the other trials are charges of manslaughter, other officers. 6 and White’s trial will be-
set for early next year. assault, reckless endanger- The judge ruled earlier this gin Jan. 25. Officers Gar-
month that each officer rett Miller and Edward Nero
will get his or her own trial face misdemeanor assault,
and that they will be held misconduct in office and
in the city. Attorneys for the reckless endangerment
six officers asked Williams charges, as does Lt. Brian
to move the trials outside Rice, who also faces a
of Baltimore, citing pre-trial manslaughter charge. q

Board denies clemency for only
woman on Georgia’s death row

KATE BRUMBACK “out of an abundance of
Associated Press caution” because the ex-
ATLANTA (AP) — A parole ecution drug appeared
board on Tuesday once “cloudy.”
again denied clemency The parole board, which is
for the only woman on the only entity in Georgia
Georgia’s death row, put- authorized to commute a
ting her one step closer to death sentence, also de-
being the first woman exe- clined to spare Gissend-
cuted by the state in seven aner’s life after a clemency
decades. hearing in February. Her
Kelly Renee Gissendaner is lawyers asked the board to
scheduled to die by injec- reconsider its decision be-
tion of pentobarbital at the fore the second execution
state prison in Jackson. Gis- date, but the board stood
sendaner, 47, was convict- by its decision to deny
ed of murder in the Febru- clemency.
ary 1997 slaying of her hus- Gissendaner’s lawyers last
band. She conspired with Thursday submitted a sec-
her lover, who stabbed ond request to reconsider
Douglas Gissendaner to the denial of clemency.
death. The Georgia Board The parole board said Mon-
of Pardons and Paroles did day that its members have
not give a reason for its thoroughly reviewed that
denial after it met on Tues- request. The board said the
day, saying only that it had meeting Tuesday would al-
carefully considered her re- low it to gather additional
quest for reconsideration. information from represen-
Gissendaner was previous- tatives for Gissendaner.
ly scheduled for execution The board could have let its
Feb. 25, but that was de- earlier denial of clemency
layed because of a threat stand, issued a stay of up to
of winter weather. Her exe- 90 days to further consider
cution was reset for March the case, or granted clem-
2, but corrections officials ency and commuted her
postponed that execution sentence.q