BULLETIN – ANOTHER ACQUITTAL IN BALTIMORE –  AT 10:50 A.M. ET:  Amidst all the talk about police-community relations, another officer has been acquitted in Baltimore in connection with the death of Freddie Gray.   From Fox: 

DEVELOPING: A judge in Baltimore Monday acquitted the highest-ranking officer charged in the death of Freddie Gray, marking the fourth trial that prosecutors failed to win.

Lt. Brian Rice faced charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.

Gray died a week after suffering a spinal injury in a police van last year, touching off protests and rioting.

From the Baltimore Sun:

Prosecutors in Baltimore have failed for the fourth time to secure a conviction in the Freddie Gray case, with Circuit Judge Barry Williams acquitting Lt. Brian Rice of all charges related to Gray's arrest and death.

Williams cleared Rice, 42, of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office in a downtown Baltimore courtroom on Monday morning. The judge had dismissed a second-degree assault charge at the trial's midpoint, and prosecutors dropped a second misconduct charge at the start.

Rice selected a bench trial rather than a jury trial, putting his legal fate in Williams' hands. He was was fourth of six officers charged in the case to go to trial.

Williams previously acquitted two other officers — Edward Nero and Caesar Goodson Jr. — of all charges in May and June, respectively. A fourth officer, William Porter, had a mistrial in December after a 12-member jury could not reach a consensus on any of the charges against him.

Rice's acquittal is likely to renew calls for Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby to drop the remaining charges in the case, including from the union that represents the city's rank-and-file officers.

COMMENT:  Please note that Barry Williams is an African-American judge.  His decisions reflect a reading of the facts, whereas the actions against the officers by Marilyn J. Mosby seemed to be a tribute to the mob. 

Once again we have the results of a rush to judgment.  After Gray's death, many fingers were pointed at the police, and President Obama weighed in with his finger as well.  Now we see the facts.

Don't expect any apology from the White House or Marilyn Mosby.  These are political cases, not real cases.

July 18, 2016