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Friday, June 24, 2016

No-nonsense judge smashes state's case in Officer Goodson trial

With precision, confidence and the no-nonsense style for which he is well known, Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry G. Williams on Thursday destroyed the state's case against Officer Caesar Goodson, exposing it as a vessel of clay and smashing it to bits.

When Williams was finished reading his verdicts, there was nothing left.

In fact, the way the judge saw it, there was nothing there to begin with.

The judge's conclusion: The death of Freddie Gray from spinal cord injuries sustained in the back of a police van was not caused by the criminal conduct of the Baltimore officer who drove that van. It was not murder. It was not manslaughter. Not reckless endangerment. It did not even rise to misconduct.

There was no evidence, Williams said several times, that Goodson knew or should have known that Gray needed medical attention on the morning of April 12, 2015, as Goodson drove Gray from his arrest in Sandtown-Winchester to the Western District police station.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

of course it wasn't the drivers fault, it was the ones who beat him senseless... But they will go free too, because as I said before and will keep saying... Cops will never go to jail for abusing someone or murdering someone... Eventually people will take just into their own hands since everyone in the justice system seems to be corrupt, then when street justice comes, cops will have more to fear...

Anonymous said...

The should drop the charges for the other officers.

Anonymous said...

9:59 he wasn't beaten. PERIOD.

Anonymous said...

9:59 Why do you constantly lie? NO one beat Freddie Gray. There were a dozen people gathered a few filming and not one said to anyone anywhere that he was beaten. The whole thing from Freddie running, being chased and then him running right up to the cops is mostly all of city surveillance video. You should really get some help for you lying. It appears you believe it and it's made you extremely paranoid. If there is any danger whatsoever to society it's you and your delusions.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday Judge Williams gutted the case for the rest of the officers. When he wrote his opinion for Officer Nero (1st officer acquitted.) it was narrow and left open for a possible conviction of the others. Not with this opinion. I don't think he should dismiss and I don't think he will. I think he is going to make Mosby choke on this pill of her own creation. I think he feels she grew it now she has to see it through until it's dead.

Anonymous said...

Freddie Grays lifestyle killed Freddie Gray. It was just a matter of time. Hang out in an alley in West Baltimore selling crack and see how long you live.

Anonymous said...

Fact is these guys won't get convicted because the prosecutors go for charges that they know won't stick. The cases are a dog and pony show. Prosecutors go for the toughest charges to placate the public knowing that the case has no chance of meeting the burden of proof (cops walk). It's all a set up.

Anonymous said...

Mosby should resign and all other cases should be dropped. The judge clearly thought she was incompetent.

Anonymous said...

Hey 9:59 why not leave your name and number so, when we are confronted by violent career drug dealers, we can call you instead of the police, to be sure that such things are handled in the most delicate and politically correct manner.

Anonymous said...

Hey F. Lee Bailey (11:36)? What charges could have been brought forth that would have resulted in a conviction? I'll answer for you. None and that is because those 6 officers did nothing criminal no matter how anyone tries to spin it (or lie about it.)