Freddie Gray Case: Judge Questions Possible Jurors

Jury selection is underway for the first of six officers to be tried in connection with the death of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old Baltimore man who died in police custody in April, reportedly from spinal injuries that prosecutors say he suffered in the back of a police van.

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

Six Baltimore Police officers were charged in Gray’s death, and their trials are spread over the next few months.

First up is Officer William Porter, 26, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.

Jury selection for Porter’s trial started on Monday, Nov. 30. During the process of jury selection, Baltimore City Judge Barry Williams will interview 75 to 80 people, according to Fox 45.

Of those being interviewed, approximately one dozen said they were related to someone who worked in law enforcement or they themselves worked in law enforcement, WJZ reported.

More than half said they or their family members had been the victim of a crime or had been arrested, according to WBAL.

Six potential jurors said they had a bias regarding police officers, according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported all potential jurors indicated they had heard of Freddie Gray, the citywide curfew implemented after riots broke out following his funeral and the $6.4 million settlement the city agreed to pay Gray’s family for wrongful death.

The judge took the jurors behind closed doors for further questioning Monday afternoon, The Baltimore Sun reports.

Judge Williams reportedly said the opening arguments will take place in the coming days, and Porter’s trial should wrap up before Dec. 17.

See Also:

• Demonstrators Cheer Judge’s Decision to Keep Trials in Baltimore
• Judge Rules Cell Phone Videos Fair Game in Gray Case
• Gray Family to Receive $6.4M in Wrongful Death Settlement

Lawyers for Porter and the other officers asked Judge Williams to move the trials out of Baltimore, citing factors such as media coverage as potentially tainting the jury pool. The proceedings have attracted widespread attention, with media outlets from as far away as France attending pretrial hearings.

Williams said the only way to see if citizens could provide a fair assessment based on evidence was to ask them, and he ruled the trials would stay in Baltimore contingent upon the ability to seat an impartial jury.

Porter’s case is critical as he may be called as a witness in the other officers’ trials.

Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said there may be more unrest based upon what happens in court, telling WJZ: “The future of the city is at stake.”