Officer Goodson trial: Prosecutor says Freddie Gray 'was injured because he got a rough ride'

[alp227]

Source: Baltimore Sun

Baltimore prosecutors alleged Thursday that the police officer driving the van where Freddie Gray was fatally injured gave him an intentional "rough ride," saying video shows him running a stop sign and crossing the center line.

The accusation was made by Chief Deputy State's Attorney Michael Schatzow in opening arguments at the trial of Officer Caesar Goodson Jr., as prosecutors seek to convict him of second-degree depraved heart murder, three counts of manslaughter and other charges.

Goodson's lead defense attorney, Andrew Graham, said prosecutors can't prove their case. He said testimony will show the medical examiner initially believed Gray's death to be a "freakish accident," and said the defense will dispute the timeline of the injuries by calling Donta Allen, the second man who was in the back of the van.

He described Goodson as a good cop and docile person, and said prosecutors have overreached by charging Goodson and his fellow officers.

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/freddie-gray/bs-md-ci-goodson-day-1-20160609-story.html

[Sunlei]

1. after they smashed him off his bike to the concrete, 2 police propped him up to 'walk' to the van.

Police probably cracked his neck in the slams and crush to concrete and then the "rough ride" finished him off.

[Judi Lynn]

2. He was in shocking condition before he ever was thrown into the van. Unbelievable. n/t

[GOLGO 13]

3. These are some bastard cops.

No excuse for this. Fry them.

[Stryder]

4. No it seems he was a..

"good cop and docile person"
Do cops consider docile persons, good cops?
Just askin.

[Angel Martin]

5. I want someone to explain to me

how Freddie hits the back door of the van during a nickel ride ?

the front wall I can see - just drive and hit the brakes really hard...

[branford]

6. What the prosecutor says is irrelevant.

The prosecutor is not a witness, and opening statements are not evidence.

I'm interested in hearing the actual testimony of witnesses and reviewing the admissible evidence. What matters in a criminal trial is what the prosecution can prove, not what they or anyone here feels or believes about the defendant.

More importantly, the article discusses how the prosecution has now been seriously admonished for the third time for failing to disclose evidence to the defense as required by law. It's entirely possible the case could be dismissed with prejudice, at trial or appeal, if more exculpatory evidence is discovered that hasn't been disclosed or the prosecution again violates constitutional mandates and pertinent law and rules.

In light prior hung jury and acquittal in the other two Gray cases, including numerous complaints and criticisms by the court of the prosecution, I beginning to believe that Marilyn Mosby and most the prosecutor's office are totally incompetent, or worse, willfully and maliciously prosecuted cases they knew lacked the requisite evidence to convict, including withholding exculpatory material.

[Angel Martin]

9. agree completely ! n/t

[Rex]

7. A docile cop lol good one.

I hope they all rot in prison for murdering that poor man.

[Yupster]

8. Obviously someone did something very wrong

for him to be fine and then dead.

The problem is proving which one murdered him.

Rather 100 guilty go free than one innocent man gets convicted is the old adage. How to figure which one is the guilty one is the tough question in this case.

[lunatica]

10. That adage has been perverted to say the opposite

Rather 100 innocent get convicted than let 1 guilty one go free.