The trial of Officer William Porter, one of six police officers facing criminal charges for the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore, just ended with a hung jury. After three days of deliberations, jurors were unable to agree on the charges, meaning no action will be taken against Porter unless he’s found guilty during a second trial.
The mistrial also throws the other five trials into question, as prosecutors might delay the other officers’ trials and re-try Porter.
Gray died in the officers’ custody last April, after suffering from a high-energy injury to his neck and spine in a police van. Video of his initial arrest shows cops dragging Gray to the vehicle. Officers then broke Baltimore Police Department protocol by failing to secure Gray’s seat belt. The 25-year-old was subsequently tossed around the van as he was transported to a local jail. But the officers ignored pleas for help and were slow to get him medical attention. Gray died because his brain didn’t get enough oxygen after the high-impact injury was sustained during the ride. At least one surgeon believes the 25-year-old could have survived if the officers sought help sooner.
Porter was the first officer to go to trial. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter, assault in the second degree, reckless endangerment, and misconduct in office. The van carrying Gray stopped multiple times, and Porter was responsible for monitoring him between multiple stops. But he did not buckle Gray’s seat belt, and prosecutors argued that he was slow to alert medics when Gray was in distress. The officer pleaded not guilty to the four charges, and says that he did call for help once he realized Gray was injured.
It took monumental effort to get this case to trial in the first place, given the city’s stringent police union contracts. Exhaustive provisions make it nearly impossible to convict officers for any misconduct, much less a fatal encounter. Very few police brutality cases make it to criminal court.
Hoping to avoid the chaotic protests that erupted in the aftermath of Gray’s death, Baltimore officials have urged residents to remain calm, in anticipation of the verdict. Earlier this week, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake implored residents to “respect” the outcome, and opened an emergency command center. And the chief executive of the city’s schools, Gregory E. Thornton, threatened to punish students for protesting.