Freddie Gray Trials: Judge Issues Ruling on Location

A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge has ruled six police officers charged in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray will be tried in the city.

The officers’ lawyers had requested a change of venue.

Defense attorney Ivan Bates argued the jury could not be impartial due to the impact the case has had in Baltimore, including the curfew, the riots and a recently announced $6.4 million settlement paid by the city to the Gray family to avoid a civil suit.

Judge Barry Williams said the civil settlement “does not affect the criminal” case and the only way to find out if citizens were capable of providing fair trial in that context was to ask potential jurors.

“The citizens are not monolithic,” Williams said.

Media coverage has been “ubiquitous,” said Williams. “In this day and age, what does one do with a high-profile case?”

Related: Officers Want Freddie Gray Trials Held Outside Baltimore

There were more than 20 people protesting outside of the courthouse Thursday morning.

Prosecutors claim that Gray’s death came after repeated failures by officers to render aid and adhere to Baltimore Police Department policy of buckling passengers into police vans.

Last week, the court ruled that the officers would be tried separately.

The officers and related charges include:

• Officer Caesar Goodson, 45: second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, vehicular manslaughter (gross negligence), vehicular manslaughter (criminal negligence), misconduct in office
• Officer Garrett Miller, 26: two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of misconduct in office, false imprisonment
• Officer Edward Nero, 29: two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of misconduct in office, false imprisonment
• Officer William Porter, 25: involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office
• Lt. Brian Rice, 41: involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of misconduct in office, false imprisonment
• Sgt. Alicia White, 30: involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, misconduct in office