A Maryland judge has denied a motion requesting that the trial for the six officers charged in Freddie Gray’s death be moved outside of Baltimore city limits.
Lawyers for the officers had filed a petition citing that it would be difficult to find an unbiased jury pool due to the high visibility of the case. However, a judge has said that moving the trial would “open the flood gates” for future cases.
“The Boston bombing was tried in Boston…The sniper trial was held in Montgomery County even though the city was under siege for 22 days…why can’t we get a fair jury out of a pool of 300,000?” Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow said at a conference.
Gray, 25, was arrested on April 12 on charges of allegedly possessing a switchblade. He was placed in a police van, where he suffered fatal injuries during the ride to a city jail. He was taken to a hospital, where doctors found he had a severed spinal cord. He died a week later. His death was ruled a homicide.
Earlier this week, Gray’s family reached a $6.4 million wrongful death settlement with the city. The six officers involved have all been charged with reckless endangerment. Three were charged with manslaughter, and the officer driving the van faces second-degree murder charges.