Source: Rob Carr / Getty
Baltimore jurors are hung on all four charges against officer William Porter; his trial has been declared a mistrial. He was the first of six officers to face trial for his actions in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, who was injured while in police custody following his arrest back in April 2015.
Video of the aftermath of the arrest shows a struggling Gray who had a hard time walking and moaned in pain. Medical reports revealed he’d suffered a severe spinal injury while being transported off the scene. He died a week later.
Porter was not a part of Gray’s initial arrest, but he’s being held responsible for breaching police department protocols prosecutors argued could have easily been the difference between life or death for Gray: A seatbelt and a phone call for medical assistance.
While news of Gray in April first caused instant unrest and riots in the city, we only hope and pray the City can band together peacefully moving forward. If not for anything else, at least for his memory’s sake… for rebuilding our City and acting above stigmas.
