RadioOnFire.com - Lt. Brian Rice has been found not guilty of all three charges: involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. His is the third trial in the Gray case to end in a full acquittal.
While three officers who have also faced or are facing charges in Gray's death were in the courtroom, State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby was not.
Judge Barry Williams said the state did not prove its case for involuntary manslaughter, and asked the court to make a number of assumptions. That charge carried up to 10 years in prison.
On the reckless endangerment charge, he said the statute would apply if the vehicle was moving, but he said simply putting someone in a van without a seat belt doesn't constitute reckless endangerment. He also said the failure to properly restrain Freddie Gray in itself doesn't constitute misconduct in office.
Officer Garrett Miller is the next to stand trial in Gray's death. His case begins next week. It's unknown how Monday's acquittal will affect whether the remaining prosecutions of Miller and Lt. Alicia White and the retrial of Officer William Porter.
A transcript of Williams' verdict should be made available later Monday.
Source WBAL
No comments:
Post a Comment