Officer says he did nothing wrong in Freddie Gray’s death

He said he did not know which of his fellow officers put Gray into the back of the van because of his focus on the crowd, many members of which knew him from foot patrol in the community.

Following Porter, Officer Zachary Novak took the stand for the defense. His testimony was the first direct account of the events surrounding an arrest gone-wrong that became a flashpoint in the national debate over civilian fatalities involving police.

Brown also said he thought Porter acquitted himself well on the stand, adding, however, that putting defendants on the stand sometimes raises the bar in jury’s minds-from merely proving reasonable doubt to proving innocence.

Schatzow also questioned Di Maio’s use of an MRI that was taken of Gray’s spine several hours after the injury occurred.

The defense continues its case Thursday.

Following a dramatic day of testimony Wednesday, the trial resumed Thursday morning with Porter’s attorneys calling Ammerman, a Washington D.C.-based neurosurgeon, to the stand.

“Even with the best of medical care, the outcome is usually death”, Ammerman told the jury.

“Freddie Gray and I weren’t friends, but we had mutual respect for one another”, he said. Porter said he did not believe Gray was injured and wanted to avoid a trip to jail by going to the hospital. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, as have the other five officers charged in the death of Gray, who died while in police custody in April, prompting protests in Baltimore. Porter said during the fourth stop, Gray made eye contact with him and spoke “in a regular tone of voice.”“He never made a complaint of pain or an injury, ” Porter said.

Before Porter, the defense called a medical expert who refuted assessments from state medical examiner Dr. Carol Allan, including that Gray’s death was a homicide and that he was injured between the second and fourth stops of the van.

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.

MCEVERS: Prosecutors have spent a lot of time in this trial talking about a certain stop of the police van when Porter checked on Gray. He told jurors Porter was “just like every other officer”.

“You had a head and a body and they were disconnected”, he said.

Prosecutors contend that Porter ignored Gray’s pleas for medical aid and that his failure to secure him with a seat belt violated police policy.

Though the prosecution claimed Gray was “docile” during this particular stop, Longo argued that Porter was armed with a gun and prisoners have been known to get out of shackles and handcuffs. Longo, who has announced his plans to retire, testified for the defense as a paid consultant.

Instead, Gray only said “yes” when Porter offered to get him medical aid, the officer testified. His testimony centered on two key stops of the police van carrying Gray in which the officer and detainee interacted. Gray responded that he did.

A police investigator previously testified that Porter told her that Gray said he couldn’t breathe during the van ride.

Why didn’t Porter seatbelt Gray? .

Di Maio testified that the injury happened later.

“Such restraints do not remove an officer’s judgment and common sense”, Longo said.

When he saw that Gray was unconscious in the back of the police van when it made its final stop, Porter testified that he saw that Gray was “unconscious”. He also took issue with the conclusion that Gray was injured before Porter asked whether he needed a medic.

“Absolutely not”, Porter, 26, said. “I can’t tell Goodson what to do”.

Who was responsible for Gray’s safety? But prosecutors say it would have been as easy as pressing a button on his chest for Porter to call for a medic. “I guess he could have done that”.

Porter testified about growing up in West Baltimore and becoming familiar with law enforcement at an early age at police athletic camps for kids, which he attended in part because they were free.

Gray, 25, died from his injuries a week later. Medical experts for the defense have testified that would have been impossible if Gray had already broken his neck.

Defense attorneys have tried to suggest that the van driver was responsible for Gray’s safety. “That’s what medics are for”. So he has clearly not followed department policy here. – Does Porter think the Baltimore Police Department has a “don’t snitch” culture? “Is that culture in the Baltimore Police Department?” “I’m actually offended that you would say something like that”. Porter told jurors the experience was “a very traumatic thing for me.”Porter faces manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges.