Gray jury goes home for night without verdict

Authorities sought before the verdict to prevent more trouble, opening an emergency operations center Monday and urging parents to control their children. In October, more than a dozen activists, including several high school students, were arrested after an overnight sit-in at City Hall.

The jury is now deliberating Mr Porter’s fate after closing arguments wrapped up. He faces the most serious charge of the six officers: second-degree “depraved-heart” murder.

Jurors adjourned for the night without reaching a verdict.

Porter, who is charged with manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment, testified that he did nothing wrong to Gray, who was arrested after running from officers in his neighborhood.

Porter faces a maximum penalty of about 25 years.

Now, Maryland assistant medical examiner and another prosecution expert believe this happened before Officer William Porter checked on Gray. He is charged with manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.

The judge says the assault charge also requires jurors to find that Porter was grossly negligent, while the misconduct charge requires an “evil motive, bad faith” and “not merely an error in judgment”.

Murtha made not-so-veiled references to the atmosphere surrounding the case, which has included regular protests around Baltimore, the resignation of the previous police commissioner, and pleas for calm from the mayor and new police commissioner.

His defense countered that the case is based on conjecture, and that there is no evidence Porter caused Gray’s death.

Porter told jurors he asked Gray if he wanted to go to the hospital, but never called a medic because Gray said only “yes”.

Other officers’ saying they do not use seat belts on prisoners is not an excuse, she said.

After they got the case, jurors sent back some questions.

Gray’s death was indeed a “horrific tragedy” but “there is literally no evidence” Porter is responsible, he said. He could face about 25 years in prison if convicted on all of the charges. Murtha repeatedly told the jury that Porter’s actions on the morning of April 12 were reasonable by department standards and in accordance with Baltimore police practice.

Gray died of a spinal injury and his death triggered rioting, arson and protests in the majority black city. She says it will help agencies coordinate any necessary response. “We need everyone in our city to respect the judicial process”, Rawlings-Blake said.

“There is an absolute absence of evidence that officer Porter acted in an unreasonable manner”, he said. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges, as have the other five officers.

Gray was arrested by Baltimore police on April 12, 2015 and died on April 19. But unrest broke out on the day of his funeral, bringing a curfew and the National Guard to the streets, and fueling the “Black Lives Matter” movement that has increased scrutiny of how police treat minorities.

Prosecutor Janice Bledsoe said during closing arguments that Mr Porter “just didn’t care enough” to secure Gray with a seatbelt or call for medical attention.

Porter’s trial is beginning its third week. White is charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree… Court was set to start at 9 a.m. Monday.

Prosecutors say Porter abused his power by failing to save Gray’s life after the man was injured in the back of a police van.

Baltimore police Capt. Justin Reynolds also testified for the defense, explaining that the “transporting officer” is responsible for those taken into custody.

The city agreed in September to pay $6.4m to the family of Mr Gray in a wrongful death settlement.