Showing posts with label Freddie Gray case. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Freddie Gray case. Show all posts

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Freddie Gray case: Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. not guilty on all charges

The Baltimore Police van driver accused of giving a "rough ride" that killed Freddie Gray was acquitted of all charges Thursday by Circuit Judge Barry Williams.

Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., 46, had faced the most serious charges of any of the six officers indicted in Gray's arrest and death last April, including second-degree depraved heart murder. Goodson was also acquitted of three counts of manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.

His acquittal, which comes after Williams considered the charges for three days, throws the rest of the cases into jeopardy. The other officers charged face similar, but lesser accusations.

Read more: Freddie Gray case: Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. not guilty on all charges

Monday, June 06, 2016

Baltimore policeman charged in Freddie Gray death chooses bench trial

A Baltimore police officer charged with murder in the 2015 death of black detainee Freddie Gray waived a jury trial on Monday and will be tried by a Maryland judge instead.

Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., 46, drove the police van in which Gray broke his neck and is the third officer to face trial for his death. The April 2015 incident triggered protests and rioting and fueled a U.S. debate on police treatment of minorities.

Prosecutors are still seeking a conviction in the high-profile case, with two trials ending in a mistrial and an acquittal.

Goodson's last-minute decision to have Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams decide the case came during a pre-trial motions hearing. The trial begins on Thursday.

Tim Maloney, a Maryland lawyer who has handled police misconduct cases, said a bench trial was a good move on Goodson's part since there was a lot of pressure on jurors in the majority black city to convict someone.

Read more: Baltimore policeman charged in Freddie Gray death chooses bench trial

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Police Officers Sue Marilyn Mosby For Defamation

Two of the Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray are suing State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

Sgt. Alicia White and Officer William Porter filed a lawsuit against Mosby, Baltimore Sheriff’s Office Maj. Sam Cogen and the state of Maryland in Baltimore circuit court for defamation and invasion of privacy, according to a report by the Baltimore Sun.

The suit goes back to statements made by Mosby at a May 1, 2015 news conference, which White and Porter claim that the city’s top prosecutor knew “were false,” according to the Sun.

“These among other statements were made not for the purpose of prosecuting crimes that had allegedly been committed by White and Porter, but rather for purposes of quelling the riots in Baltimore,” the suit asserts.

Read more: Police Officers Sue Baltimore’s Top Prosecutor for Defamation Over Freddie Gray Statements

Friday, January 01, 2016

Court filing says Freddie Gray complained of 'bad back'

Freddie Gray, who died after sustaining a neck injury while riding in a police van in Baltimore, told officers he had a "bad back" weeks before his death, according to court documents filed by attorneys for one of six cops charged in the case.

Lawyers for Caesar Goodson, 46, the officer who drove the van carrying Gray, filed the motion seeking the dead man's medical records last month.

The filing suggest lawyers may try to convince a jury that Gray was already injured at the time of his fatal encounter with police.

Read more: Court filing says Freddie Gray complained of 'bad back'