News just broke that a jury could not reach a decision in the trial of Baltimore Police Officer William Porter, 26, who was charged in relation to the killing of Freddie Gray, 25, in April. This is the first of six cases related to Gray’s gruesome death in the back of police van.

Officer Porter was charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. Jurors began deliberating on Monday afternoon and returned with no verdict on Wednesday. Earlier, they asked for transcripts from witness testimony. The judge denied that request. Shortly after, they returned with no verdict.

On Thursday, attorneys will reconvene in court to decide on a retrial date. Porter is not expected to be present.

Porter’s trial was deemed critical to understanding how the case might go for the driver of the vehicle in which Freddie Gray was killed, Officer Caesar Goodson, Jr. It was also seen as an indication regarding how the other four trials might go. In all, this outcome is a blow for the prosecution.

The remaining five officers involved in Gray’s death will be tried separately and consecutively starting on January 6th.

Attorneys in the case told reporters that the hung jury might be due to the confusing and complex nature of this case. Specifically, according to them, “the evidence against this particular officer was unique.” The jury consisted of four black women, three black men, three white women and two white men, one of the more diverse juries assigned in these highly publicized cases.

Jurors were thanked for their service but a gag order remains in place for all involved in the court proceedings.

 

Photo credit: Twitter

Author

  • Jenn M. Jackson was born and raised in East Oakland, California, a fact which motivates her writing and academic ambitions. She is a scholar, educator, and writer whose writing addresses Black Politics and civil and public life for young Black people with a focus on policing and surveillance. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Water Cooler Convos, a culture platform for Black millennials. Her writing has been featured in Washington Post, BITCH Magazine, Marie Claire, EBONY, The Root, Daily Dot, The Independent, and many others. Jackson is a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago studying American Politics with a focus on political participation and engagement, public opinion and social movements. For more about her, tweet her at @JennMJack or visit her website at jennmjackson.com.