New Freddie Gray Trial Date Set For William Porter: Baltimore Officer Will Face Manslaughter, Reckless Endangerment Charges Again

A new trial date has been set for Baltimore Police Officer William Porter, whose case related to the death of Freddie Gray resulted in a hung jury and ended in a mistrial last week. A judge scheduled the new trial for June 13 next year, according to a reporter for the Baltimore Sun.

An additional scheduling hearing in Porter's case was set for Tuesday morning, local CBS affiliate WJZ-TV reported. Trials will also be held for Lt. Brian W. Rice, Sgt. Alicia D. White and Officers Edward M. Nero, Garrett E. Mille and Caesar R. Goodson, with Goodson's trial next to start on Jan. 6.

Porter, who has been charged with manslaughter, second-degree assault, official misconduct and reckless endangerment in Gray's April 19 death, pleaded not guilty, along with the five others, who face similar or lesser charges. Prosecutors argued that Porter maliciously refused to get Gray medical attention following his injury after his arrest on the morning of April 12, for wielding a folding knife.

Prosecutors called 16 witnesses to show that Porter, a 26-year-old city native who joined the Baltimore Police Department in 2012 and made an annual salary of $44,104, had been criminally negligent by failing to secure Gray in the back of a police transport van, prior to his failing to summon a medic when Gray asked for one. Attorneys for Porter called 12 witnesses, including his aunt and Porter himself, to argue that he was of good character and did not believe Gray was severely injured.

But after two weeks of court testimony and three days of deliberations, the jury could not come to a unanimous decision on the charges against Porter. The hung jury increased concerns among residents and activists that there could be other mistrials — an outcome that city officials said they feared could reignite civil unrest and rioting similar to the trouble after Gray's funeral in late April.

City officials approved a $6.4 million settlement with Gray's family in September, raising doubts within the police union over whether Porter and the other officers could get a fair trial in Baltimore. Circuit Judge Barry Williams denied a trial-venue change motion brought by the officers' defense lawyers Sept. 10.