Third officer acquitted in Freddie Gray death trial

The Washington Post reported Hogan said: “It’s a waste of time and money”, adding “but that’s up to the court system to decide”.

At the conclusion of the ruling, Rice’s supporters – including two other officers acquitted in the case and one who is yet to be tried – pressed toward him, and expressionless prosecutors left the court. Goodson, the van driver, and Nero were both recently acquitted after bench trials.

On December 3, 2014 a grand jury decided not to bring charges against Officer Daniel Pantaleo for strangling Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York earlier that year.

Gray’s death triggered protests and rioting in the mainly black city and stoked a national debate about how police treat minorities.

Baltimore’s police union called on prosecutors to drop the charges against three officers still awaiting trial in the case.

Six Baltimore police officers were charged after Freddie Gray’s death and arrest.

Gray’s case was one of the rare instances where prosecutors chose to go forward with charges against police. The city of Baltimore has already negotiated with Gray’s family for a civil settlement of $6.4 million.

The officer’s attorney said police could use discretion, if they believe their safety is at risk. Jones’ brother, Tyrone West, pictured on poster, died under murky circumstances in July 2013 after an encounter with Baltimore police.

An internal affairs investigation stopped short of blaming the officers, but laid out a laundry list of tactical mistakes they made.

Baltimore’s mayor says now that an officer has been acquitted in the death of Freddie Gray, he will face an administrative review by the police department. She asked for their continued respect for the judicial process. The last two officers have trials this month and in October.

In December 2015 a grand jury found Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann not guilty of killing 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who held a toy pellet gun in a park.

Warren Alperstein, a prominent lawyer in the city who has been observing the case, questioned whether the other cases should go to trial.

Two of the six officers charged have not gone on trial yet.

During the trial, prosecutors had said Rice was most responsible of the six officers charged for following police procedures to fasten a prisoner in a seat belt, citing his 18 years of experience on the force.

Rice faced charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. Rice’s lawyers said a nearby apartment complex was “emptying out” and an angry crowd was cursing at officers. He was handcuffed and later shackled and placed on his stomach in the back of the police van.

Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams will make his ruling public Monday in the trial of Lt. Brian Rice. Now that he’s been acquitted, this means that none of the officers who have been tried so far in Freddie’s death have been convicted.

He said the reckless endangerment charge was moot because the law doesn’t apply to crimes related to motor vehicles unless the auto is in motion.

Charges against Rice of second-degree assault and misconduct had been either previously dismissed by the judge or put aside by prosecutors.