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Officer in Freddie Gray death, Edward Nero, not guilty on all counts

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[MSNBC.COM]

One of the six officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray was found not guilty on all counts in Baltimore Monday.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams cleared Officer Edward Nero of charges of assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

Nero, 30, was one of two officers who initially made eye contact with Gray before his arrest. Gray, 25, died on April 19, 2015, a week after his neck was broken while he was transported in a police van — shackled and handcuffed, but without a seat belt.

Nero faced charges of assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

Grays’s death set off more than a week of protests in Baltimore, which eventually led to unrest and the implementation of a six-day curfew across the city. The events also refocused national attention on issues of tensions between law enforcement and the minority communities they serve.

The White House waded into the fray with President Barack Obama commenting both on the unrest and broader racial tensions.

State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby announced charges against the six officers involved in Gray’s arrest in early May, 2015.

Prosecutors fought for Nero and two of the other officers be tried together, but their request was denied. Nero opted for a bench trial as opposed to a trial by jury.

While prosecutors argued that Nero arrested Gray without probable cause and was negligent when he didn’t buckle Gray into the van, a defense attorney said Nero didn’t arrest Gray and it was the responsibility of the driver to buckle Gray in.

The defense also argued that the officers who responded that day acted responsibly. Gray was charged after his arrest with possession of a switchblade.

Finish reading the story at MSNBC.com.

Freddie Allen is the Editor-In-Chief of the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com. Focused on Black people stuff, positively. You should follow Freddie on Twitter and Instagram @freddieallenjr.

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