Mistrial Declared In Officer William Porter Case!

A mistrial was declared Wednesday on all charges in the trial of Officer William Porter.

The jury could not come to an agreement on any of the four charges facing Porter, the first of six Baltimore officers to face charges in the death of Freddie Gray. Porter was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

Both sides will meet tomorrow to determine how the prosecution will proceed. If called in the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson, who drove the police van in which Gray suffered his fatal injury, and still facing charges, Porter could invoke his Fifth Amendment right to avoid self-incrimination.

Gray's death and the protests and civil unrest that followed drew national attention on issues of police misconduct, particularly in the context of other police-involved deaths of late in Cleveland, Chicago, North Charleston and New York.

— Mayor Rawlings-Blake (@MayorSRB) December 16, 2015

The outcome was met with outrage by the roughly two dozen protesters outside Courthouse East. Sheriff's deputies ordered the sidewalk in front of the courthouse cleared and formed a human shield blocking Calvert Street around the courthouse. At least one protester near the courthouse has been arrested. Our partners at WBAL-TV 11 report the protester arrested was activist Kwame Rose.

A police helicopter is monitoring the relatively chaotic scene from above. Deputies appear to believe protesters are trying to force their way into the courthouse.

Marchers can be heard chanting "no justice, no peace."

Tessa Hill-Aston, president of Baltimore's NAACP chapter, told WBAL-TV 11 she was disappointed in the outcome. She said she believed the jury would at least convict on misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

"I understand people are going to protest and that is expected. I just hope it is done peacefully," Hill-Aston said.

— Ron Snyder (@SnyderWBALTV) December 16, 2015

State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby was in the packed courtroom when the mistrial was declared by Judge Barry Williams. The jury first indicated Tuesday they were deadlocked, but Williams told them to continue deliberations.

Source WBAL