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Freddie Gray death: Officer acquitted of four charges | Freddie Gray death: Officer acquitted of four charges |
(35 minutes later) | |
A police officer has been acquitted of charges related to the death of a black man in police custody in Baltimore. | A police officer has been acquitted of charges related to the death of a black man in police custody in Baltimore. |
Police officer Edward Nero was cleared of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office. | Police officer Edward Nero was cleared of second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office. |
Freddie Gray, who was 25, died after sustaining a severe spinal injury in the back of a police van during his arrest in April 2015. | Freddie Gray, who was 25, died after sustaining a severe spinal injury in the back of a police van during his arrest in April 2015. |
His death caused days of massive protests and unrest in Baltimore. | His death caused days of massive protests and unrest in Baltimore. |
Last year, a jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of another officer connected to Gray's death, William Porter. | Last year, a jury failed to reach a verdict in the case of another officer connected to Gray's death, William Porter. |
Officer Porter was the first of six officers charged in Gray's death to be tried, with four more trials still to come. | |
In Officer Nero's trial, a judge said he "acted as any reasonable officer would" and did not touch Gray until he was in handcuffs. | In Officer Nero's trial, a judge said he "acted as any reasonable officer would" and did not touch Gray until he was in handcuffs. |
Officer Nero helped load Gray back into the police van after police said he was kicking, screaming and shaking inside of it. | Officer Nero helped load Gray back into the police van after police said he was kicking, screaming and shaking inside of it. |
"The state's theory has been one of recklessness and negligence," said Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams. "There has been no evidence that the defendant intended for a crime to occur." | "The state's theory has been one of recklessness and negligence," said Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams. "There has been no evidence that the defendant intended for a crime to occur." |
Analysis - Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News, Washington | |
Compared with some of the other police officers who await trial, Officer Nero's charges were less serious - and didn't directly link him to Gray's death. | |
Other officers who face trial have been accused of second-degree murder and manslaughter. | |
The speed with which authorities in Baltimore arrested and charged the officers involved in the arrest and detention of Gray was held up as an example of a criminal justice system acting swiftly at a time of high tension between young black men and the police. | |
But protesters who are demanding justice for Gray say the real measure will be if anyone is in the end held accountable for his death. | |
The prosecution had been hoping to use Officer Porter as a witness in the other officer's trials. He will face another trial in June. | The prosecution had been hoping to use Officer Porter as a witness in the other officer's trials. He will face another trial in June. |
Gray's death helped spur a national debate over police use of force, especially against black men. | Gray's death helped spur a national debate over police use of force, especially against black men. |
In Baltimore, protests raged for days and even turned violent, prompting officials to declare a state of emergency and deploy national guard troops. | In Baltimore, protests raged for days and even turned violent, prompting officials to declare a state of emergency and deploy national guard troops. |
A post-mortem report found that Gray sustained a neck injury slamming into a van wall during the ride. | |
He was not restrained with a seatbelt. | |
During Officer Porter's trial, prosecutors said he ignored Mr Gray's pleas for medical help, describing the van as a "coffin on wheels". | |
Freddie Gray's death - in depth | Freddie Gray's death - in depth |
Duel identities - how a divided city came to riot | Duel identities - how a divided city came to riot |
Ferguson v Baltimore - two cities rocked by protest compared | Ferguson v Baltimore - two cities rocked by protest compared |
That fateful day - - what do we know about what happened? | |
Baltimore through the lens - an amateur photographer looks at a city on edge | Baltimore through the lens - an amateur photographer looks at a city on edge |