The case of Freddie Gray may be coming to a close, albeit a controversial one. Yesterday, Baltimore city police officer Edward Nero was acquitted on all four charges against him for his involvement in the arrest and later, death of Freddie Gray—the 25-year-old black man who died in police custody from a spinal cord injury in April of last year.
Nero was charged with second-degree intentional assault, reckless endangerment and two counts of misconduct in office. He decided against a trial by jury and opted instead for a bench trial by Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams.
Prosecutors said Nero detained Gray without justification and and put Gray in a police van without buckling the seat belt. Williams ruled that there were “no credible facts” to prove that Nero was integral in Gray’s arrest, which meant that Nero did not arrest Gray without probable cause. He also said Nero was not necessarily at fault for not buckling Gray in the van because it could’ve been assumed that another officer would do it.
Nero was one of six officers charged in connection with Gray’s arrest and death, and the second to stand trial. The first officer’s trial ended in a hung jury.
