Juror Falls Ill in Baltimore Police Trial: Report

Due to a medical emergency, one of the jurors in the trial of Officer William Porter has been released, according to WBAL.

Porter, 26, is charged with manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office in connection with the death of Freddie Gray.

Gray, 25, died in police custody April 19 from what the state claims was a severe spinal cord injury he sustained in the back of a police van on April 12.

After Gray’s funeral in late April, there were riots in parts of Baltimore, drawing the National Guard to help quell the unrest.

Days after the riots, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced charges against six officers involved in Gray’s detainment, ranging from misconduct in office to murder. Porter is the first officer to stand trial.

Judge Barry Williams spent two and a half days last week conducting jury selection in conjunction with the attorneys.

The initial jury had eight women (five black, three white) and four men (three black, one white). The alternate jurors are four men (three white, one black).

A black woman on the jury who had to leave due to a medical emergency has been replaced by an alternate juror who is a white man, according to WJZ.

So now the jury includes seven women (four black, three white) and five men (three black, two white).