Wednesday, after a jury failed to come a unanimous decision for any of the charges against the first of six Baltimore police officers facing trial for the murder of Freddie Gray, Circuit Judge Barry Williams was forced to declare a mistrial.
After three days of deliberations, jurors were deadlocked on all four counts against office William Porter which included manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
Via Fox
After court adjourned, Porter conferred solemnly with defense attorney Joseph Murtha and walked from the courtroom. A female supporter joined Porter on a marble bench in a corner of the hallway. Courthouse deputies blocked reporters from approaching them.
Murtha declined comment, citing a judicial gag order. Baltimore City States Attorney Marilyn Mosby, who brought charges against six officers in the arrest and death of Gray, also declined comment.
A retrial date will be set Thursday. The charges carried maximum prison terms totaling 25 years.
Prosecutors say Porter is partly responsible for failing to buckle Gray into a seatbelt and for not calling an ambulance when Gray indicated he was in distress. Porter told jurors that he didnt think Gray was injured and that it was the van drivers responsibility to fasten Grays seat belt.
After the case was declared a mistrial, a small group of protesters began to gather outside of the courthouse chanting send those killer cops to jail. Authorities stated that the protest was unlawful assembly and subsequently, at least one protester was arrested for causing a disturbance.
