The judge presiding over the prosecution of six Baltimore Police officers involved in the arrest of Freddie Gray struck the state's motion for a gag order in the case.
Judge Charles J. Peters ruled the motion lacked standing in an actual proceeding, as it was filed by Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby's office in Circuit Court on May 14. At that time, the officers' cases were still in District Court. They weren't transferred to Circuit Court until May 21, when the officers were indicted.
Rochelle Ritchie, a Mosby spokeswoman, declined to say whether the state planned to file a new gag order motion, which Peters' ruling did not preclude.
"We're not going to litigate this case in the media and discuss our trial strategy," Ritchie said.
Gray, 25, died April 19, one week after being arrested and sustaining a severe spinal cord injury while being transported in a police van, according to Mosby's office.
Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., the driver of the transport van, has been charged with second-degree murder, and Lt. Brian Rice, Sgt. Alicia White and Officer William Porter have been charged with manslaughter.
Officers Edward Nero and Garrett Miller, the two officers who along with Rice were involved in Gray's initial arrest, face lesser charges, including second-degree assault.
The attorneys for the six officers had asked the court to strike the state's gag order motion on procedural grounds.
Nineteen media outlets, including The Baltimore Sun, also filed a motion opposing the gag order.
Nathan Siegel, an attorney representing The Sun and other media outlets, noted Mosby's office could still file a new gag order motion, but said Peters' decision "is good for the transparency of this case, at least for now."
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-gag-order-stricken-20150608-story.html
