Prosecutors dropped all remaining charges against three Baltimore police officers awaiting trial in the death of Freddie Gray.
Chief Deputy State's Attorney Michael Schatzow announced the prosecution was dropping charges during a hearing to open Miller's trial on Wednesday.
Gray, 25, suffered a fatal spinal cord injury in April 2015 while in police custody. Officers Edward Nero, Caesar Goodson, Jr., and Lt. Brian Rice were previously acquitted. Another, William Porter — whose December trial led to a hung jury — was scheduled to be retried in September.
Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby held a news conference Wednesday morning to address the decision. Mosby, who has drawn criticism for her handling of the case, defended the choice to bring charges against the officers and maintained her position that police were at fault in Gray's death.
"The judge has acquitted three of these officers," she said. "In light of these consistent outcomes, the likelihood of the remaining defendants electing to receive a bench trial with this very same judge is highly probable, and unfortunately, so is the outcome."
"And while to this day we stand by... the charges and assertions set forth," she continued. "As officers of the court we must respect the verdicts rendered by the judge... no matter how much we may disagree with his rulings."
Mosby criticized Baltimore police for their handling of the investigation into Gray's death and emphasized reforms that have been implemented as a result of the controversy, including the requirements that police wear body cameras and provide medical attention to prisoners upon request.
"We do not believe Freddie Gray killed himself," Mosby said. "We stand by the medical examiner's determination that Freddie Gray's death was a homicide."
Officer Garrett Miller's trial was scheduled to begin on Wednesday. And a sixth — Sgt. Alicia White — would have faced trial beginning on October 13.
Circuit Judge Barry Williams — who presided over Nero, Goodson, and Rice's acquittals — was expected to preside over the remaining two cases.
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