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n">Trial begins on Monday for a Baltimore police officer charged in the death of a black man from an injury he suffered while in police custody that triggered rioting and protests and fueled a U.S. debate on police brutality.
Officer William Porter, 26, is the first of six officers scheduled for separate trials in Baltimore City Circuit Court for the death in April of Freddie Gray.
Trial will begin with jury selection. Judge Barry Williams last week ordered the identities of jurors to be shielded to keep them from facing outside pressure.
Gray, 25, died from a spinal injury suffered in the back of a police transport van after he was taken into custody. Porter is accused of ignoring Gray's requests for medical aid and not putting a seatbelt on him, even though he was shackled and handcuffed.
Porter faces charges of second-degree assault, manslaughter, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. If convicted on all counts he could face more than 25 years in prison.
The other officers are charged with offenses ranging from second-degree murder for van driver Officer Caesar Goodson to misconduct.
Protests, rioting and looting flared in the largely black city after Gray's death, and National Guard troops were sent in and a curfew imposed to restore order. Gray's death added fuel to a national debate on police tactics and treatment of minorities.
Prosecutors have said they want Porter to testify first so they can use him as a potential witness against Goodson and Sergeant Alicia White.
Porter's lawyers have said in court papers that he was ready to testify in his own defense. Three of the six officers, including Porter, are black, and three are white.
David Jaros, a University of Baltimore associate law professor, said prosecutors face a tough challenge in convicting Porter and the other officers.
Police are normally reluctant to testify against other officers and judges and juries tend to acquit in misconduct cases, he said. Prosecutors also will have to show that a reasonable person would have tried to get Gray medical aid and that Porter failed to do so.
"I keep waiting for, if not a smoking gun, at least a warm weapon to reveal itself," he said.
Starting dates for the other trials are from Jan. 6 to March 9. Baltimore agreed in September to pay a $6.4 million civil settlement to Gray's family.
A cop is a cop no matter what their skin color. I hope he gets what's coming to him.
A cop is a cop no matter what their skin color. I hope he gets what's coming to him.
What's coming to him ?
This is one trial that wont be cut and dry..
Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itThis is one trial that wont be cut and dry..
Oh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itThis is one trial that wont be cut and dry..
Oh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itThis is one trial that wont be cut and dry..
Oh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
that depends on what you call "victory". See, you, like BLM, are irrational, emotional knee-jerkers that never consider anything outside of the echo chamber.We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itThis is one trial that wont be cut and dry..
Oh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
Yeah it's not like accusations against police result in a charge at radically lower rates than the general populace. Or that when successfully charged they are convicted at a radically lower rate than the general populace. Or anything like that.that depends on what you call "victory". See, you, like BLM, are irrational, emotional knee-jerkers that never consider anything outside of the echo chamber.We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itThis is one trial that wont be cut and dry..
Oh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
I agree with your point. Too bad, you don't comprehend mineYeah it's not like accusations against police result in a charge at radically lower rates than the general populace. Or that when successfully charged they are convicted at a radically lower rate than the general populace. Or anything like that.that depends on what you call "victory". See, you, like BLM, are irrational, emotional knee-jerkers that never consider anything outside of the echo chamber.We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itOh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
What that this officer could be innocent? Possibly. Maybe he did his job perfectly and Gray just magically died somehow.I agree with your point. Too bad, you don't comprehend mineYeah it's not like accusations against police result in a charge at radically lower rates than the general populace. Or that when successfully charged they are convicted at a radically lower rate than the general populace. Or anything like that.that depends on what you call "victory". See, you, like BLM, are irrational, emotional knee-jerkers that never consider anything outside of the echo chamber.We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with it
You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
THIS is what I meant by the echo chamber...What that this officer could be innocent? Possibly. Maybe he did his job perfectly and Gray just magically died somehow.I agree with your point. Too bad, you don't comprehend mineYeah it's not like accusations against police result in a charge at radically lower rates than the general populace. Or that when successfully charged they are convicted at a radically lower rate than the general populace. Or anything like that.that depends on what you call "victory". See, you, like BLM, are irrational, emotional knee-jerkers that never consider anything outside of the echo chamber.We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
Hahahaha. Minding his drug business. Good job police.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itThis is one trial that wont be cut and dry..
Oh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
Yeah it's not like accusations against police result in a charge at radically lower rates than the general populace. Or that when successfully charged they are convicted at a radically lower rate than the general populace. Or anything like that.that depends on what you call "victory". See, you, like BLM, are irrational, emotional knee-jerkers that never consider anything outside of the echo chamber.We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with itOh I agree.
These arrests and trial were a reaction to riots and purely politically driven.
Should be interesting to see how it all plays out.
You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
Bucs from now on just post that police shouldn't be held to any standards. It's short and to the point.Yeah it's not like accusations against police result in a charge at radically lower rates than the general populace. Or that when successfully charged they are convicted at a radically lower rate than the general populace. Or anything like that.that depends on what you call "victory". See, you, like BLM, are irrational, emotional knee-jerkers that never consider anything outside of the echo chamber.We'll see. The fact that it's gone to court instead of being swept under the rug and hushed up is already a victory.Yeah the death of a guy who was minding his own business has nothing to do with it
You mean of a known drug dealer who ran from cops? On a street corner that the SAME prosecutor sent an email to a Lieutenant about cracking down on? The SAME Lt. she is now charging with murder for arresting a drug dealer on that very corner she ordered him onto? The drug dealer who has a history of trying to hurt himself to get lawsuit money....and a witness in the van who said he heard him smashing himself into the van wall?
Oh yeah....that one.
This is a medical negligence case AT BEST. And the Democrat witch hunters are trying to jail cops on murder over it?
Police are given the authority to carry weapons and go enforce laws....which often involves detaining offenders and sometimes using force to do so.
The general public does not have that authority.
So....accusations against each are obviously very different. Courts know this. Jurors are shown the difference.
Liberals don't get that.
