Freddie Gray Case: Officer Not Testifying in 3 Trials

BALTIMORE, MD – A Baltimore judge reportedly denied a request by prosecutors to force one officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray to testify against three others.

The ruling was a deviation from an earlier decision that Judge Barry Williams made last month, in which he ordered Officer William Porter—whose case ended in a mistrial in mid December—to testify in the cases of Officer Caesar Goodson and Sgt. Alicia White.

Porter’s attorney appealed the order, which the Maryland Court of Special Appeals is reviewing. There will be a March 4 hearing on the matter in Annapolis.

There are six officers charged in the death of Gray, a 25-year-old Baltimore man who died in April in police custody: Officer Caesar Goodson, Officer William Porter, Sgt. Alicia White, Officer Garrett Miller, Officer Edward Nero and Lt. Brian Rice face charges ranging from misconduct in office to manslaughter to murder. The state’s attorney announced the charges in May.

On Wednesday, Jan. 20, Judge Williams ruled that Porter would not be compelled to testify in the trials of Miller, Nero and Rice, according to WBAL. The judge found the issue “problematic” and the officers sought to defend their right to a speedy trial, including Rice, who has four children and has been suspended without pay, the news station reported.

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Officer Porter was the first of the six Baltimore Police officers to stand trial in Gray’s death, and when jurors could not reach a verdict, Judge Williams declared a mistrial on Dec. 16, 2015. Now Porter will head to trial again on June 13.

Officer Goodson was to begin his trial Monday, Jan. 11, but it has been postponed due to the appeal on behalf of Officer Porter, who seeks to protect his right not to testify.

Williams on Wednesday put an injunction on the trial for White, according to The Baltimore Sun. Her trial was originally slated for Feb. 8.

Nero’s trial is set for Feb. 22; Miller’s is set for March 7; and Rice’s is March 9. Nero may have a scheduling conflict, according to WBAL.