Baltimore judge sets first police trial in Gray death for November 30

One of the six Baltimore police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray is scheduled to stand trial November 30, and trials of the other five officers will follow sequentially until March, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams said Officer William Porter will be in court first, accused of causing the 25-year-old’s death a week after he was arrested and placed in custody in April. Judge Williams previously rejected a defense motion… Porter was the only one of the six officers who was not there.

According to investigators Gray asked for medical care during the police van ride after his April 12 arrest, and one of the officers, William Porter told investigators “he wasn’t sure if Gray was in distress, or trying to convince officers to take him to the hospital instead of jail”.

In a statement to the newspaper from lawyers for all six officers, defense attorney Joseph Murtha characterized police disclosure of their clients” statements as “unfair and unconstitutional’.

Officer William Porter, 26, responded to the police van driver’s request for assistance to check on Gray; he is charged with manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. His trial is set to start March 9.

The first officer to be tried will be Officer William Porter. His death inspired protests and rioting in Baltimore, and came to symbolize the treatment of black men by police in America, and shed light on long-standing and systemic disenfranchisement of African American populations in the city. Prosecutors have told the judge in a letter that they would like to try Porter first, and intend to call him as a witness against at least two other officers.

Officers Garrett Miller and Edward Nero face misdemeanor assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges. The officers looked calm and didn’t show much emotion although they did exchange conversation and a few smiles with each other and their attorneys. Police say he was carrying an illegal switchblade; prosecutors have said the knife was legal. At 8:54 a.m., the officers stopped the van to place more restraints on Gray.

At 9:24 a.m., police called an ambulance to pick up Gray at the Western District police station, Rodriguez said.

Although each officer will get his or her own trial, the order in which the officers will be tried is significant.

The van made several stops during which White, Porter and Goodson checked on Gray, but did not call a medic, according to charging documents.