Following deadlock, Baltimore jury resumes deliberations

Officer Porter, 26, is a two-year veteran of the Baltimore police force. Parts of the city burned last spring after Gray’s death triggered frustration over the department’s alleged mistreatment of black people, and authorities were determined to prevent a repeat.

Porter is the first of six police officers to be tried in Gray’s death from a neck injury sustained while in police custody. He’s charged with manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. He is the first of six officers to stand trial. Goodson is charged with second-degree depraved-heart… The panel began its deliberations in the trial of Officer William Porter on Monday afternoon.

They also asked for a speaker for the computer on which they were allowed to watch and listen to key evidence in the case, including Porter’s statement to police investigators and police radio communications from the day of Gray’s arrest.

Prosecutors also argued that Porter should have ensured Gray was wearing a seat belt.

The jurors in Porter’s case were sent home before 6 p.m. Monday, after deliberating for about three hours, and resumed deliberations before 9 a.m. Tuesday. The dismissal time was confirmed when jurors sent a note to Judge Williams one hour after announcing they were deadlocked.

It wasn’t immediately clear what the jury wanted. From that point, the charges will either be dropped or the case retried at the prosecutor’s discretion.

“This would be a game changer”, CNN legal analyst Sunny Hostin said. If a jury is unable to reach a unanimous decision, it is known as a “hung jury”, or as being in a state of deadlock.

Gray’s injury happened as he was being transported following an April 12 arrest.

Prosecutors say Porter is partially responsible for the death because he didn’t call for an ambulance when Gray indicated he needed medical aid and because he ignored a departmental policy requiring officers to buckle prisoners in seat belts.

All six officers have been suspended.

Earlier, the city opened an emergency operations centre to help co-ordinate any necessary response after a verdict.

“We all remember what April and May looked like with National Guard troops throughout our city”, said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

Police canceled all leave in light of the imminent jury decision. He’s one of six officers charged.

He did not say whether the jury was deadlocked on a single count or on all four that Porter faces from the Gray’s death.

Officers caught up to him and found a knife in his trousers.

Gray was arrested while fleeing police in his neighborhood, just seven city blocks from the police station, yet police stopped the van repeatedly during a circuitous trip around West Baltimore that stretched on for 45 minutes.