Goodson is charged with the death in April of last year for Freddie Gray.
Judge Barry Williams hasn’t given lawyers any time limits for their closing arguments, but since this is a bench trial, like Officer Edward Nero’s trial last month, expect Judge Williams to interrupt lawyers with questions on their arguments.
The questions might offer a clue as to how the judge might rule on this case.
In the Nero trial, Williams spent more time questioning prosecutors and later found Nero not guilty on all for charges.
Last week, when he dismissed a defense motion to dismiss the charges, the judge said it was a close call on the most serious charge, second degree murder, depraved heart.
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7 comments:
This is a nuisance suit nothing more. Should've been dismissed before the paperwork was even filed. The guy wouldn't have been in the van at all had he not ran from the police! Perps get more and more leniency while taxpayers pay for this garbage.
9:06-True.An oversight board would be nice to intervene whenever a huge err in judgement occurred.
True. These 6 trials are gutting the Baltimore States Attorneys office's budget so they are going to make deals and drop cases against real criminals even the violent ones. They will then be released back to the streets where they will pick up right where they left off. The killings will keep rising but it will be mostly black on black and they grew this mess so they have no other choice but to suck it up and live with it.
Multiple people shot last night at Greenmount and North. For those who don't know that was the epicenter of the riots. One victim was 8 months pregnant. She was shot in the stomach. Child removed both in critical condition. Can you imagine being at the hospital. I bet the family's carrying on howling, crying, threatening revenge. I bet it's a real show at shock trauma.
Judge to issue verdict on Thurs morning.
Closing arguments have concluded. Judge questioned state much more closely on the rebuttal, pushed them on a few points.
Judge Williams asked prosecutors, "Are you saying that once a police officer is placed on notice someone wants to go to the hospital...that failure to do so is criminal negligence?" As opposed to civil negligence
Judge seemed very skeptical that video of van showed evidence of rough ride, and possibly showed the contrary..
He said there was no evidence of high rate of speed, asked whether a sharp turn would've been more abrupt than wide turn it took
Judge Williams and Schatzow (prosecutor) got into a back and forth about whether even if Gray was fine, the failure to seek help was a violation of his duty
"Yes," Schatzow said. "It might not have been prosecutable... The duty is the same. The consequences are diff, but duty the same"
Williams asked if prosecutors' definition of a rough ride required intent. Of injuries, "Can that not be consistent with an accident?"
Williams also questioned prosecutors on why they believe Goodson bothered to stop and check on Gray if he intended to hurt him..
Schatzow posited that Goodson intended to hurt him, just not that badly. "Where's your evidence?" Williams responded. "Logical inferences"
Schatzow: "The fact that he stops suggests there was a consequences greater than he anticipated, and he had to figure out what to do abt it"
Goodson aware of the risks of not seatbelting. "The fact is, this officer didnt do anything," Schatzow said
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