Police Board Clears Lieutenant In Freddie Gray Case: Report

BALTIMORE, MD - The highest ranking police officer involved in the case of Freddie Gray was reportedly cleared of all administrative charges. Lt. Brian Rice faced an administrative review board after a probe found he may have violated departmental policies in the April 2015 case of Gray. A guilty finding could have led to termination.

Previously, Rice and five other officers were criminally charged in connection with the death of Gray, who was arrested on April 12, 2015, and died a week later from what prosecutors alleged was a spinal injury in police custody.

While no criminal charges stuck to any of the officers, an internal investigation indicated that five of the officers may have violated departmental policies.

The Gray case gained attention after unrest rocked Baltimore at a time when national conversations were occurring about police brutality; after Gray's funeral on April 27, 2015, riots erupted in parts of the city.

To avoid bias, the Baltimore Police Department outsourced its internal affairs investigation to the Howard and Montgomery police departments.

The hearing that took place this week at the University of Baltimore would determine whether Rice could keep his job with the Baltimore Police Department.

Rice led the pursuit that resulted in Gray's arrest. He made eye contact with Gray on North Avenue, then gave chase, at which point two other lower-ranking officers took off after Gray on bicycles, officials said.

Attorneys seeking to prove that Rice violated 10 police policies argued he should have ensured Gray was in a seat belt in the police van and secured the van as a crime scene, according to WJZ, which reported other officers involved in the case testified at the police hearing that it was standard not to belt a combative individual and they thought the 25-year-old had possibly overdosed.

Rice was found not guilty Friday by a police board determining whether he violated Baltimore Police protocol in the case, according to WBAL.

"At this point, he simply wants to go home, hug his kids, kiss his wife, have a good holiday and try really honestly try to get on with his life," his attorney said after the not guilty verdict.

This is breaking news and will be updated.

• Freddie Gray Van Driver Not Guilty Of Police Violations: Report
• 5 Officers In Freddie Gray Case Subject To Police Disciplinary Action
• Freddie Gray Case Ends With Final Charges Dropped, Zero Guilty Findings For Officers

File photo courtesy of Baltimore Police Department.