Prosecution nears finish in Baltimore officer’s trial

Here’s what you need to know as the trial of William G. Porter, one of six police officers charged in the case of Freddie Gray, starts in Baltimore.

“So if Goodson had followed the request of Porter and driven directly to the hospital, then you wouldn’t have considered this a homicide”, said Joseph Murtha, Porter’s attorney.

Jurors heard from 16 state’s witnesses over five days and watched Porter’s videotaped interview with Baltimore detectives as the prosecutors centered on what he did and didn’t do for Gray, who repeatedly asked for medical attention.

Murtha’s aggressive style drew a warning Monday from the judge, who threatened to hold him in contempt if he didn’t stop “testifying”, by posing questions about information not in evidence, during his cross-examination of the assistant medical examiner.

Rumors that Gray had back problems and even previous surgeries circulated over the summer, but this is the first time anything concrete on the matter has come to light.

During the trial so far, defense attorneys have fiercely countered the homicide ruling, accusing Carol H. Allan, a medical examiner, of “making up” a theory that Gray must have gotten to his feet during the ride and been thrown catastrophically.

Prosecutors say Porter is partially responsible for Gray’s death, which occurred a week after his neck was broken while he was in handcuffs and leg shackles in the back of a police transport wagon. Prosecutors contend he was negligent in failing to call a medic when Gray asked for one and for failing to fasten a seat belt for him. Goodson’s trial will be next year.

Porter is one of three black officers charged in the case.

A Baltimore Police Department DNA expert testified Tuesday that Gray’s blood was found inside the van, on a bench, a wall and a seatbelt.

“There is no evidence [Porter] grossly deviated from the reasonable conduct of an officer”, defense attorney Gary Proctor said. Both witnesses said they saw no evidence of a prior injury that would account for his death.

The trial for Officer William Porter continued this morning, entering its second week in the proceedings following Freddie Gray’s death.

Defense attorneys argue Porter thought Gray wasn’t really hurt, but told the driver Caesar Goodson to take him to the hospital anyway.

The substitution shifts the makeup of the jury to seven women and five men.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams announced at the outset of Monday’s session that juror number eight, a woman, has been excused due to a medical emergency.

The death triggered protests and rioting in the largely black city and fueled a USA debate on police treatment of minorities. He is the first of six officers to be tried over Gray’s death.

Porter told investigators he and Goodson, who is charged with second degree murder in the case, had agreed Gray should go to the hospital. An autopsy report says Gray suffered the injury sometime between the second and fourth stop in the roughly 45-minute van ride between the scene of the arrest and when Gray was found unresponsive at the Western District station house, but could have been exacerbated because it wasn’t treated right away. Allan countered that intent isn’t necessary for a medical examiner to rule a death a homicide. Gray was arrested April 12 and died a week later from a lack of oxygen to the brain caused by the spinal injury.