Officer Porter Trial: What Happened, What's to Come

The second week in the trial for Officer William Porter gets underway in Baltimore Monday.

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.

Porter’s trial began on Nov. 30 with jury selection; opening statements from prosecutors and defense; and testimony from the assistant medical examiner, a friend of Gray who filmed his detainment, instructors who trained Porter in first aid and policing and an internal affairs employee who took Porter’s statement after Gray’s arrest.

In addition, the jury saw two videos showing Gray being detained, listened to Porter’s interview with internal affairs and took a trip to the garage to inspect the police van where .

• Freddie Gray’s Death, Officer’s Charges are ‘Tragic’: Defense
• ‘Gross Indifference’ Claimed in First of Six Freddie Gray Trials
• With Jury Set, Trial for Officer Porter Begins Wednesday
• Officer Porter Trial: Jury Selection Continues

The second week is to begin with a cross-examination of the assistant medical examiner.

Judge Barry Williams has reportedly said the trial will conclude by Dec. 17.

As the case unfolded in week one, here’s what we learned:

Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow said Gray died from an injury similar to diving into a shallow pool, in which his spine broke as he was thrust in the back of a police van where he was not seat belted. He alleged Porter was negligent in not calling for a medic and not buckling in the prisoner, saying Gray suffocated after his body’s backup breathing system became exhausted as a result of the injury.

Defense attorney Gary Proctor said that Porter’s job was not to buckle in Gray, shifting the blame to other officers; Proctor also said Gray was allegedly known for avoiding jail by causing a scene and had tried to kick windows out of a cruiser the week before.