Page 5 - aruba today
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U.S. NEWS A5
Tuesday 5 July 2016
With 2 acquittals and a mistrial, a 4th officer stands trialÂ
and replaced with his dep- no evidence, facts or vi- off running. Rice called for
uty, Kevin Davis, and Mayor able witnesses to support backup, and two officers
Stephanie Rawlings-Blake their claims that the officers — Miller and Nero — re-
announced she wouldn’t were criminally reckless sponded to the call. After
seek re-election. The U.S. and negligent when they Miller apprehended Gray,
Department of Justice also failed to buckle Gray into a the three officers loaded
launched an investigation seat belt or call for a medic him into a transport wagon.
into allegations of exces- after Gray indicated that A few blocks later Good-
sive force and unlawful ar- he wanted to go to a hos- son stopped the van, and
rests. pital. the three officers took Gray
Baltimore Circuit Judge Prosecutors say Rice made out of the compartment to
Barry Williams in his deci- eye contact with Gray secure him in leg shackles.
sions said he decided to while he and two other They then slid Gray into the
acquit the officers be- men were walking in West wagon face-down on his
cause the state produced Baltimore, and Gray took belly.q
Baltimore state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby, center, leaves a court-
house after Officer Caesar Goodson, one of six Baltimore city po-
lice officers charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray,
was acquitted of all charges in his trial in Baltimore.
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
JULIET LINDERMAN miss their cases last month.
Associated Press The acquittals dealt a sig-
BALTIMORE (AP) — Pro- nificant blow to the pros-
ceedings are scheduled ecution and to Baltimore
to begin for the fourth Bal- State’s Attorney Marilyn
timore police officer slated Mosby, who has staked
to stand trial on charges much of her reputation on
stemming from the death these cases. Since charg-
of a 25-year-old prisoner ing the officers last May,
whose neck was broken in Mosby has come under in-
the back of a police trans- tense scrutiny for her deci-
port wagon. sions. Five of the six officers,
Lt. Brian Rice, the highest- including Rice, have filed
ranking officer charged in defamation suits against
the death of Freddie Gray, her, and a law professor
will go to trial this week filed a formal complaint
on manslaughter, assault, with Maryland’s Attorney
reckless endangerment Grievance Commission.
and misconduct in office In the complaint, George
charges. A hearing on pre- Washington University law
trial motions opens Tues- professor John Banzhaf al-
day. leges that Mosby pursued
The trial comes on the heels charges against the of-
of two recent acquittals in ficers without probable
the cases against Officer cause, which is a violation
Caesar Goodson, who of her professional oath.
faced a second-degree Gray died April 19, a week
murder charge, and Officer after he suffered a criti-
Edward Nero, who faced cal spinal injury in Good-
misdemeanor charges son’s wagon while he was
stemming from Gray’s ar- handcuffed and shack-
rest. Both chose judge tri- led, but left unrestrained
als. The trial for a third offi- by a seat belt. His death
cer, William Porter, ended prompted days of peace-
in a mistrial in December. ful protests and prompted
He’s schedule for retrial in rioting across swaths of the
September. The other two city that suffered millions
officers charged, Sgt. Alicia of dollars in property dam-
White and Officer Garrett age. Police commissioner
Miller, filed motions to dis- Anthony Batts was fired
