Page 5 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 5
U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 10 June 2016
Prosecutor: Police driver gave Freddie Gray a ‘rough ride’Â
JULIET LINDERMAN the rear compartment, the Officer Caesar Goodson, foreground center, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in
Associated Press prosecutor said. connection to the death of Freddie Gray, leaves the courthouse after the first day of his trial, Thurs-
BALTIMORE (AP) — The of- Goodson attorney Andrew day, June 9, 2016, in Baltimore.
ficer at the wheel when Graham flatly disputed the
Freddie Gray suffered a fa- notion that Gray was delib- (AP Photo/Brayan Woolston, Pool)
tal spinal injury in the back erately bounced around,
of a police van caused the saying: “There was no
young black man’s death rough ride. It simply didn’t
by deliberately giving him happen.â€
a “rough ride,†prosecutors He also said that officers
said for the first time Thurs- “virtually never†belt prison-
day as the driver went on ers in and that Goodson is
trial on murder and man- such a “slow and cautiousâ€
slaughter charges. driver that he sometimes
A “rough ride†is police lin- lulls his prisoners to sleep.
go for teaching someone Graham said Goodson —
a lesson by putting him in “a good officer, a gentle
a police wagon without a man, a nice guy†— didn’t
seat belt and driving so er- belt Gray in because of
ratically that he is thrown his “violent and erratic
around. behavior†that included
Over the past year, pros- screaming and kicking with
ecutors had hinted that such force that the wagon
Gray was subjected to shook. Gray continued to
such treatment. But the thrash around in the van for
accusation during open- several stops, the attorney
ing statements at Officer said.
Caesar Goodson’s trial was Goodson, who is black, fac-
the first time they said the es the most serious charges
driver meant to hurt Gray, of the six officers arrested
whose death in April 2015 in the case. The 46-year-
touched off the worst riots old Goodson could get 30
in Baltimore in decades. years in prison if convicted
Prosecutors say Goodson of second-degree murder,
was grossly negligent when or “depraved-heart†mur-
he failed to buckle Gray in der. He waived his right to
or call for medical aid dur- a jury trial and opted to let
ing the 45-minute ride. a judge decide his fate.
“There was no good rea- The trial is being closely
son for the defendant not watched, not just because
to belt him in, except to Goodson is considered
bounce him around,†Chief the most culpable of the
Deputy State’s Attorney Mi- officers but because pros-
chael Schatzow said. ecutors have yet to secure
During the drive, Goodson a conviction in the death
ran a stop sign and made that convulsed the city and
a sharp right turn at such led to the calling out of the
high speed that he crossed National Guard.
a double yellow line, The case against the first
Schatzow said, citing video officer to go to trial ended
surveillance footage. Gray in a hung jury in December.
— his hands cuffed and Last month, the second of-
his legs shackled — was ficer brought to trial was
thrown helplessly against acquitted.q
