Protests held in USA as Freddie Gray’s case ends in mistrial

He is the first of six officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

With a verdict possible this week, the city of Baltimore, which witnessed protests and unrest after Gray’s death, said it activated its emergency operations center Monday “out of an abundance of caution”. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake repeated calls for Baltimore residents to respect the trial’s outcome.

Porter is one of six officers charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray, a young African-American man who suffered a fatal injury while in police custody. But instead of a dramatic conclusion, there was confusion.

The Baltimore Sheriff’s Office says two people who protested outside the courthouse after a mistrial was declared Wednesday in the trial of police officer William Porter are facing charges.

“You believe you’ve reached a point where you believe you will not come to a decision on any of the charges?” Several protesters are marching through the city, chanting that they are seeking justice for Gray. “I know that as a community we are up to the task”.

Late Tuesday, jurors told Judge Barry Williams they were deadlocked but were ordered back to deliberations. A lot of them are re-prosecuted.

The message was the same on Wednesday, after roughly 16 hours of deliberation.

“We are not at all upset with them, neither should the public be upset”.

It wasn’t immediately clear what elements of the case jurors couldn’t agree on, but the mistrial means advocates of Gray will be forced to wait until next year before they receive a definitive legal conclusion in the case.

Baltimore pastor Jamal Bryant said he was “disappointed” by the mistrial.

Protesters march at city hall in Baltimore, December 16, 2015.

A video footage captured by a cellphone moments following Gray’s arrest was featured in the trial. His neck was broken in the back of a police van; had he been belted in – by Mr. Porter or another of the officers at the scene – that probably would not have happened.

Porter, who was a backup officer, testified Gray told him he needed medical aid. The driver, Officer Caesar Goodson, is scheduled for trial on January 6. Prosecutors say Porter, one of three black officers charged in the case, was summoned by the police van’s driver to check on Gray during stops on the way to a police station.

The officer’s lawyer argued that Porter may not have been aware of department policy mandating that detainees be seat-belted, which was put into place shortly before Gray’s arrest. If convicted, Porter faces more than 10 years in prison. They say they’ll be out all night to try and keep the peace.

I don’t think the evidence remotely sustains a finding of gross departure.

GWEN IFILL: William Porter was the first of six officers to go on trial in the case. Without postponements or continuances, his case moved swiftly and his trial began just seven months after Gray’s death. He’s charged with second-degree murder, the most serious charge in the case, along with manslaughter, assault and other offenses.

To find Porter guilty of of misconduct in office required a finding that Porter “corruptly failed to do an act required by his duties” and that it was “not a mere error in judgment” but involved an “evil motive and bad faith”. But the mistrial could complicate that strategy, and depending on how the other trials are scheduled, he may not be available to testify. As a result, the judge declared a mistrial.

Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby charged Porter and five other officers in Gray’s arrest and death on May 1, and many have watched the proceedings in Porter’s trial closely.

“It was never going to be easy”.