Trial delayed indefinitely in Freddie Gray case

Jamiea Speller Gray died on April 19 while in police custody in Baltimore.

Williams noted that prosecutors had filed a motion for a continuance in the case but said it was moot given the order from the court of special appeals.

Caesar Goodson Jr.’s trial was to have begun on Monday in a case that fueled a nationwide debate over race and policing in the United States. And the Court of Special Appeals has yet to rule on that.

BALTIMORE (AP) – A Maryland appeals court postponed the trial of a police van driver charged with second-degree murder in the death of Freddie Gray, saying it needed to address whether another Baltimore officer should be compelled to testify against Caesar Goodson.

Jury selection for Goodson’s trial had been scheduled to start this morning, but the appeals court ordered the delay while it determines whether Officer William Porter should be compelled to testify. The six officers involved in his arrest are accused of ignoring Gray’s requests for medical help. However, he may be the first to yield a conviction, as the one before him, the manslaughter trial of Officer William G. Porter, ended up with a hung jury last month. Last week, Goodson’s attorney failed to convince Judge Williams that Allan shouldn’t testify.

Gray, 25, suffered a broken neck and a severe spinal cord injury while in the back of a police transport van in April.

Goodson is charged with second-degree depraved heart murder; involuntary manslaughter; second-degree negligent assault; manslaughter by vehicle (gross negligence); manslaughter by vehicle (criminal negligence); misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

After that case ended in a mistrial, Porter is scheduled to be tried again later this year. But Porter’s lawyer, Gary Proctor, argued to the appellate court that because prosecutors repeatedly called Porter a liar during his trial, he could be open to perjury charges depending on his testimony in Goodson’s trial.

But Goodson is the most accountable, as Gray was technically in his custody after being pursued and dragged into his van by two other police officers.

Prosecutors say Porter has immunity at Goodson’s trial and they can’t use his statements against him later.

The prosecution is also expected to call retired Maryland State Police Maj.

An earlier order issued Friday by Judge Krauser had hinted as possibly postponement, with the judge issuing a temporary reprieve that would have blocked Officer Porter from being made to testify in Officer Goodson’s case. What happened there will remain unknown unless Goodson takes the stand, which Brown says is unlikely to happen.