The Baltimore Police van driver accused of giving a "rough ride" that killed Freddie Gray was acquitted of all charges Thursday by Circuit Judge Barry Williams.

Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., 46, had faced the most serious charges of any of the six officers indicted in Gray's arrest and death last April, including second-degree depraved heart murder. Goodson was also acquitted of three counts of manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.

His acquittal, which comes after Williams considered the charges for three days, throws the rest of the cases into jeopardy. The other officers charged face similar, but lesser accusations.

Williams said the timeline of Gray's injuries remains unclear, and the state "failed to meet its burden" to present enough evidence to back its assertions.

"As the trier of fact, the court can't simply let things speak for themselves," Williams said.

After the verdict, Goodson was patted on the back by his attorneys and a group of about 10 family members including his father hugged and wiped away tears. One man grabbed and kissed the top of Goodson's head and then raised his palms to the ceiling.

Goodson slowly made his way through a group of supporters who hugged him and shook his hand, including Officers Edward Nero, who was acquitted last month, and Officer Garrett Miller, as well as police union president Gene Ryan. His attorneys said he and his family were prevented from commenting due to a gag order in place until all six cases have concluded.

Officer Caesar Goodson trial
Prosecutors alleged Goodson had five chances to render aid to Gray after his neck was broken in the back of the van, which they said demonstrated a "depraved heart."

They also said Goodson was the direct cause of the injuries, driving the van in a reckless manner that threw him in the back of the van's steel cage, shackled but unrestrained by a seat belt. As a certified field training officer, prosecutors said Goodson knew Police Department rules and broke them.

Williams, a former city prosecutor who investigated police misconduct for the Justice Department, said there were a number of "equally plausible scenarios" for when Gray was injured in the van. He talked through five such scenarios and why evidence showed they were plausible — and complicated the assertion that Goodson failed to act.

Williams repeatedly cited the testimony of the prosecution's medical witnesses – that Gray's injuries would have been progressive, and that he could have talked, moved his head and held himself up at various points along the transport – to suggest that it would have been hard for Goodson to tell if Gray was injured.

"This injury manifested itself internally," he said, of Gray's spinal injury. "That is one of the key issues here. If the doctors are not clear as to what would be happening at this point in time, how would the average person or officer without medical training know?"

Freddie Gray case: Live updates after verdict in Officer Goodson trial
Williams cited Chief Deputy State's Attorney Michael Schatzow's use of a "rough ride" theory as the "centerpiece" of the prosecution's case in his opening statement. The judge said "rough ride" is an "inflammatory term" that is "not to be taken lightly," and said the state had failed to prove such a ride was given to Gray.

Williams said the only time the prosecution had proved that Goodson had neglected his duty to secure Gray with a seat belt was at the van's fourth stop. But, he said, while that "may have been a mistake, or may have been a bad judgment," it did not rise to the level of criminal negligence.

He repeatedly mentioned the higher burden to prove criminal negligence, compared to civil negligence.

Goodson's defense attorneys said officers who checked on Gray didn't know he was seriously injured, and that Goodson deferred to decisions of other officers not to put a seat belt on Gray.

Officer Caesar Goodson's family in courtroom for not-guilty verdict
His attorneys also disputed the time frame of Gray's injuries, placing them later in the van's journey and therefore offering less chances to intervene, and blamed Gray himself, saying he had been placed on his stomach in the van and stood up.

Gray, 25, died one week after suffering a fatal injury in the back of the police van, touching off citywide protests against police brutality, and rioting, looting and arson on the day of his funeral.

Goodson, a 16-year veteran of the force, elected a bench trial, bypassing a jury and leaving his fate in the hands of Judge Williams.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Goodson will remain suspended by the Police Department and now faces an administrative review. In Maryland, the results of such case are not revealed to the public.

Some in Baltimore frustrated, others seek calm after Officer Caesar Goodson found not guilty
After three trials, prosecutors have been unable to secure a conviction on any count. The first trial, of Officer William Porter, ended in a hung jury and mistrial last December. The second, of Nero, ended last month with Nero being acquitted of all charges by Williams in a bench trial.

In pursuing the charges against the officers, prosecutors won a victory in the state's highest court when they sought to have defendants testify under immunity as witnesses against their co-defendants. As a result, two of the trials — of Porter and Miller — must be handled by a new team of prosecutors.

The next trial, of Lt. Brian Rice, who is charged with manslaughter, is scheduled to begin July 7. The other officers' trial dates are: Miller (July 27), Porter (Sept. 6) and Sgt. Alicia White (Oct. 13).

All the officers have pleaded not guilty.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/marylan...0623-story.html
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This lady has been discredited on all counts she has brought....no evidence... it's that simple.

Quote: Rufus T Firefly wrote in post #2

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Quote: ThirstyMan wrote in post #1

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This lady has been discredited on all counts she has brought....no evidence... it's that simple.

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Lucky for her she's a person of color. Otherwise her butt would have been fired.

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And don't forget....

Marilyn Mosby authorized an outrageous, premature [over] payment of $6.4 million to the Freddie Grey family.

as Breitbart points out:
♦ no wrongdoing has ever been found;
♦ Marilyn Mosby’s private attorney is the same attorney as Freddie Gray’s family;
♦ The Gray family never filed a lawsuit, so this is not a “settlement” per se’;
♦ The possibility of any police wrongful conduct being found during trial is quite probably nil;
♦ The maximum payout under Maryland state law, if lawsuit filed – and if police misconduct could be identified, would have been $400k.

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/201...ay-6-4-million/
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Woah!!! The people of Baltimore have not been well represented by this novice. TM