As Twitchy reported, the judge presiding over the trial of Baltimore police officer William Porter sent back a deadlocked jury yesterday for further deliberations. Porter is charged with manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office in connection with the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody. Porter is the first of six officers facing trial.
Today, the judge declared a mistrial, and attorneys will appear in court tomorrow to pick a retrial date.
Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake issued a statement in which she declared that Baltimore “must respect the outcome of the judicial process” and reminded residents that it was their constitutional right to demonstrate peacefully.
— Stephanie (SRB) (@MayorSRB) December 16, 2015
The mayor wasn’t the only one to have a press release prepared, however. Baltimore BLOC demanded a speedy retrial and declared that anything less than conviction on all charges “confirms that our criminal justice system does not value Black lives.”
.@BmoreBloc statement on the hung jury in the #PorterTrial pic.twitter.com/sWrRvbk67x
— Luke Broadwater☀️ (@lukebroadwater) December 16, 2015
Baltimore BLOC had called for an “emergency protest” in the case that Porter “walked.”
#Baltimore, come to City Hall, tonight 5:30 #FreddieGray #BaltimoreUprising pic.twitter.com/8wZnfGpIc2
— Baltimore BLOC (@BmoreBloc) December 16, 2015
Baltimore NAACP calls for frustration & anger to be controlled and the rights of all people respected, on all sides. https://t.co/O4xSOzB4rP
— The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) December 16, 2015
.@NAACP : "We still believe …Porter & his fellow officers failed in their fundamental responsibility & we continue to wait for justice.”
— Alison Knezevich☀️ (@aliknez) December 16, 2015
A previous request for a change of venue was denied.
Def lawyer Warren Brown says case needs to be moved out Baltimore. "Feels like Vietnam" w/ police chopper overhead. pic.twitter.com/o78spRH2eL
— Mark Puente (@MarkPuente) December 16, 2015
Porter had a muted reaction through it all. On his way out of court, he nodded to his mother and they were escorted out by deputies.
— Joel D. Anderson (@byjoelanderson) December 16, 2015
Porter and his mother walked over to a corner of the 2nd floor, out of sight of media. They didn't hug. Just whispered to one another.
— Joel D. Anderson (@byjoelanderson) December 16, 2015
State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby was also in the courtroom, hugging her attorneys and also leaving court with a security detail.
— Joel D. Anderson (@byjoelanderson) December 16, 2015
Baltimore sheriff's deputy disperses crowd. "Unlawful assembly" outside courthouse following #PorterTrial hung jury @WNEW #FreddieGray
— Sarah Jacobs (@Sarah_M_Jacobs) December 16, 2015
"We want justice and we're just not gonnna get it." -David Rogers, left pic.twitter.com/oukZFl4d4r
— Sarah Meehan (@sarahvmeehan) December 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/DefendWallSt/status/677234106493718528
https://twitter.com/DefendWallSt/status/677234328380809216
More scenes outside the courthouse in Baltimore. Protesters and police are skirmishing. pic.twitter.com/7VJjXXussU
— justin jouvenal (@jjouvenal) December 16, 2015
"All night, all day, we will fight forFreddie Gray!" pic.twitter.com/5nuUVd5c53
— Pamela Wood☀️ (@pwoodreporter) December 16, 2015
https://twitter.com/ChuckModi1/status/677241360303419392
The @baltimoresun team is right in the thick of the commotion outside Baltimore courthouse. https://t.co/1fx1TDd6GR
— Christopher T. Assaf (@ctassaf) December 16, 2015
CONFIRMED: @kwamerose and juvenile arrested, both on "failure to obey a lawful order" & use of a bullhorn, latter of which not norm a crime
— Kevin Rector ☀️ (@RectorSun) December 16, 2015
Maj. Sabrina Tapp-Harper, sheriff's spox, said bull horn charge because this order was read out loud and ignored: pic.twitter.com/62g9eeKvkP
— Kevin Rector ☀️ (@RectorSun) December 16, 2015
"If we don't get justice, shut it down!" This group marched to city hall, around the block, past courthouse and back pic.twitter.com/UqB1BoseVT
— Colin Campbell ☀️ (@cmcampbell6) December 16, 2015
Men just placed around two dozen flag-draped instrument cases in lawn outside city hall. Resembles caskets @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/deKRZQjQn7
— Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) December 16, 2015
Group expected to gather in this area at 6. @ABC2NEWS pic.twitter.com/dLavbxtGvj
— Amy Aubert (@ABC7AmyAubert) December 16, 2015
The mayor of Baltimore and the police commissioner go before the cameras. pic.twitter.com/mhMz9sLic0
— Alan Blinder (@alanblinder) December 16, 2015
Baltimore mayor on unrest potential: "We are prepared to respond. We will protect our residents. We will protect our neighborhoods."
— Alan Blinder (@alanblinder) December 16, 2015