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William G. Porter

William G. Porter10 posts
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13 Oct, 2015

Officers appear in court

Makes Statement0 Comments

All, six officers appear in court in Baltimore in front of Judge Williams, who will determine whether their still undisclosed statements will be allowed at trial. The officers who gave interviews want the statements thrown out, claiming were not read their rights. They say they feared they’d lose their jobs if they refused to talk to internal police investigators. They also saying the statements violate Maryland’s law enforcement officers’ bill of rights, which says police cannot be prosecuted for statements they were forced to give on the job. All officers except Goodson speak at length about the ride.

2 Sep, 2015

Charges stand

Judgement0 Comments

The defense motion for the charges to be dropped is denied by Circuit Court Judge Williams. Defense attorneys had sought to drop the charges because of prosecutorial misconduct on the part of State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.  said that while he was “troubled” by some of the comments Mosby made during a May 1 news conference, they did not compromise the defendants’ right to a fair trial. The judge also deniess a motion to recuse Mosby and her staff due to what defense attorneys characterized as conflicts of interest.

7 Aug, 2015

Prosecutors accused of hiding evidence

File Motion0 Comments

Defense attorneys for six Baltimore police officers file a motion alleging that investigators for the Baltimore Police Department had information that Gray had a history of intentionally injuring himself in order to collect insurance money. The attorneys allege that police investigators knew that Gray once injured himself so severely while in a Baltimore jail that he required medical attention. The attorneys say in documents that when police investigators tried to follow up on the evidence, prosecutors in the state’s attorney’s office told them “not to do the defense attorneys’ jobs for them.”

The motion also says that high-ranking members of the state’s attorney’s office met with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner a week before Gray’s autopsy was complete and his death ruled a homicide. In addition, attorneys say the prosecutors didn’t provide the medical examiner’s office with a copy of the statement of Donta Allen, the man who had been inside the police van where Gray suffered his injury. Investigators initially said Allen told them that Gray had been making banging noises in the back of the van. But Allen later told the media that police had exaggerated his account.

21 May, 2015

Indicted by grand jury

Charged0 Comments

Mosby announces grand jury indictments against the police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray.

These past two weeks, my team has been presenting evidence to a grand jury that just today returned indictments against all six officers.

Arraignment against the officers in the case is scheduled for July 2

10 May, 2015

Defendants want Mosby removed

File Motion0 Comments

Attorneys for the police officers file a motion to dismiss the case or assign it to someone other than the city’s top prosecutor, who they say has too many conflicts of interest to remain objective. At a minimum, the request State’s Attorney Mosby should be replaced with an independent prosecutor, saying her prosecution has been “overzealous” and “politically motivated.”

The motion for her dismissal argues that part of the reason she acted so swiftly was to quash riots in West Baltimore, where Mosby’s husband is a city councilman. A separate motion argues that her rapid decision could be at odds with a law that requires a thorough investigation prior to filing charges.

The need to quell the raging inferno of human rage and revulsion within the confines of the 7th District was emergent. These officers soon found themselves offered up to the masses by Mrs. Mosby to quell the uprising that caused most harm to the district where her husband is the City Council representative.

8 May, 2015

Dismissal filing cites conflict of interest

Files Suit0 Comments

Attorneys for the six Baltimore police officers charged in Gray’s death file a motion to have the case dismissed or have Marilyn Mosby’s office taken off the case. The motion lists what attorneys say are numerous conflicts of interest and concerns about the investigation. The filing says Marilyn Mosby’s husband, City Councilman Nick Mosby, represents the West Baltimore district where Gray was arrested, and that one of her chief prosecutors is in a relationship with a local television reporter who interviewed the prisoner who was in the police van with Gray on April 12. The filing also says Marilyn Mosby has a close professional and personal relationship with Murphy, the Gray family’s lawyer and unofficial spokesman. Filing:

Mrs. Mosby’s connection to Mr. Murphy is of great concern to the undersigned counsel and it should be of greater concern to the residents of this city/ The connection between Mrs. Mosby and Mr. Murphy is undeniable and the conflict it creates is detrimental in the pursuit of justice.

1 May, 2015

GoFundme page removed

Donation0 Comments

A funding page for the six officers set up by The Fraternal Order of Police, a union representing Baltimore City police officers, is removed by the site. The page set a fundraising goal of $600,000 to pay for the living expenses of the six officers, who have been placed on unpaid suspension after they were charged in Gray’s death. In 41 minutes, the page raised $1,135. The FOP posts on its Facebook page:

Apparently our GoFundMe account has been suspended with no explanation. We are working to find a new site for donations. Thank you!

Six officers charged

Charged0 Comments

Prosecutors file homicide, manslaughter and misconduct charges against police officers. State’s attorney Mosby, says officers abused Gray, arrested him without grounds and violated police procedure by putting him in handcuffs and leg restraints in the van without putting a seatbelt on him, as well as repeatedly failing to seek medical attention after he was injured. Mosby also says that the knife Gray was not a switchblade, was lawful, and that the officers had failed to establish probable cause for an arrest. Mosby:

We have probable cause to file criminal charges

Goodson is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, assault and misconduct in office. Rice is charged with manslaughter, assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment. Officer Porter and Sgt. White are each charged with manslaughter, assault and misconduct in office. Officers Nero and Miller are charged with assault, misconduct in office and false imprisonment.

Freddie Gray's death ruled homicide; charges to be pressed against police

19 Apr, 2015

Freddie Gray dead age 25

Death0 Comments

In the week since his arrest Gray suffers from total cardiopulmonary arrest at least once but is resuscitated without ever regaining consciousness. He lapsed into a coma with three fractured vertebrae, injuries to his “voice box”, and his spine “80% severed” at his neck. An autopsy confirms that Gray died from a severe injury to his spinal cord. Gray family attorney:

He lapsed into a coma, died, was resuscitated, stayed in a coma and on Monday underwent extensive surgery at Shock Trauma to save his life. He clung to life for seven days.

12 Apr, 2015 08:59 am

Third van stop

0 Comments

A few blocks later, Goodson asks for an additional unit to check on Gray, and Porter arrives. Porter and Goodson check on Gray. Gray asks for help, says he can’t breathe and asks twice for a medic. Porter helps Gray onto the bench. Neither officer belt him in or request or render medical assistance. After this stop the van is diverted to pick up another person who had been arrested.