By Bob Walsh
Officer William Porter of the Baltimore, Maryland PD was the first person to be tried in the Freddie Gray case. His jury hung on all four charges against him and he is facing retrial. He was ordered Tuesday to testify against the other officers in the case, a move that could place him in legal jeopardy. He demurred, and appealed. The Maryland Court of Appeals (their highest court) ruled Tuesday that Porter must testify.
The next trial on the schedule is that of Lt. Brian W. Rice. It could start on April 13th.
Porter will be testifying under a grant of limited immunity. Theoretically anything he may say at the Rice trial cannot be used against him in his own trial. Theoretically.
Porter’s lawyers may yet appeal to the United States Supreme Court. In the meantime if Porter refuses to testify he could be jailed for contempt. At the moment all of the defendants are out on bail. In a highly unusual and clearly politically motivated move the city agreed several months ago to pay the Gray family $6.4 million in damages.
1 comment:
I guess the 5th amendment applies to everyone but cops.
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