Prosecutors overseeing the Freddie Gray case have just announced that charges faced by three remaining officers in the case have been dropped. As it stands, all six Baltimore Police Department officers connected to the death of the Black 25-year-old city resident have all dodged charges.
The Baltimore Sun reports:
The startling move was an apparent acknowledgment of the unlikelihood of a conviction following the acquittals of three other officers on similar and more serious charges by Circuit Judge Barry G. Williams, who was expected to preside over the remaining trials as well.
It also means the office of Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby will secure no convictions in the case after more than a year of dogged fighting, against increasingly heavy odds, to hold someone criminally accountable in Gray’s death.
Officer William Porter’s trial ended with a hung jury and a mistrial in December, before Williams acquitted Officers Edward Nero and Caesar Goodson and Lt. Brian Rice at bench trials in May, June, and July, respectively.
In a hearing Wednesday meant to start the trial of Officer Garrett Miller, Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow told Williams that the state was dropping all charges against Miller, Porter and Sgt. Alicia White.
According to local outlet ABC2 News, Ms. Mosby is expected to hold a press conference this morning. The conference will be held in front of the Freddie Gray mural at Presbury and North Mount streets.
We’ve also gathered some Twitter reaction on the following pages, and more can be seen by following the #FreddieGray hashtag on Twitter.
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Photo: family photo
