Calm In Baltimore Overnight After Freddie Gray Mistrial

Mason’s mentor, artist Paul Rucker, placed the… The first of six officers to stand trial in Gray’s death in police custody, Porter, 25, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office. But instead of a dramatic conclusion, there was confusion.

The jurors-seven women and five men-deliberated for 16 hours before announcing that they were deadlocked. “A mistrial means that the prosecution did not do their jobs good enough”.

Both sides were meeting with the judge today to hear if there would be a retrial, but right now that thin blue line is looking terrible thick, y’all.

A demonstrator is detained outside of the courthouse after a mistrial of Officer William Porter, one of six Baltimore city police officers charged in connection to the death of Freddie Gray, on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015, in Baltimore.

Gray’s death ignited protests that quickly erupted into rioting in April, when some businesses were looted and set on fire. “But it is a bit of a kick in the chest”. The judge told the jurors they had “clearly been diligent” before he dismissed them. “They chose the wrong defendant to try first”. Young officers on patrol weren’t adequately trained or mentored, they said, and simply tried to do their best despite next-to-no experience.

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued a statement calling for calm after the mistrial.

But the mistrial was a disappointment for some residents in need of a definitive resolution.

Officials appealed for calm as small crowds protested along streets lined with police officers.

Murphy tried foolishly to muddy the waters by saying nobody really knows how 12 new jurors will react, and said he welcomes starting with a “clean slate”. NPR’s Jennifer Ludden has more on the reaction to the mistrial and what’s next. The investigation also found Gray was sitting on the floor of the police wagon, and Porter moved him to the wagon’s bench, but he failed to strap him in. Or will they turn their attention to other officers charged in Gray’s death, notably Officer Caesar R. Goodson Jr., the driver of the van in which Gray sustained his fatal injuries?

The prosecution argued that by not strapping Gray in, and by failing to seek medical attention for Gray, Porter was responsible for his death. “Here’s what I foresee happening if they do retry… this officer and and [sic] he goes to jail there’s not going to be any policy change”.

The Baltimore Sun reports that Porter had little to say when reached by phone Wednesday night.

Urging the public to remain calm, Gray’s family thanked the the jury for their service and pushed for the prosecutor to bring a new trial against Porter.

“The state proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Freddie Gray died”. Officers said they only check their email once a month, on old computers that barely work. “If it’s eleven to one for not guilty, they ought to think about not trying it again”.

It is unclear whether Porter will be retried before the other five trials.

Prosecutors now have major strategic decisions to make. As of now, all the officers are pleading the fifth amendment, but a convicted officer could be pressured to testify. “Now, it’s not impossible that at least some of these other cases can go to trial without Porter, but his testimony was going to be important”.

“Freddie Gray can’t get his life back, but there is an opportunity for a justice do-over, so we’re encouraging people to pursue non-violent protest in the wake of a violent death and wait to see what happens”, Brooks said.