The six Baltimore police officers charged in Freddie Gray's arrest and death have been assigned to paid administrative duties after Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped all charges against them on Wednesday. Pictured, a protestor is arrested after the judge declared a mistrial in the case of Baltimore police Officer William Porter on December 16. Porter was the first of six officers to be tried in Gray's death from a neck injury sustained while in police custody. Mosby said the death of Freddie Gray was a homicide and that his arrest was illegal. Gray, 25, died a week after suffering a spinal cord injury while being arrested on April 12, 2015. File Photo Ken Cedeno/UPI |
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BALTIMORE, July 28 (UPI) -- The six Baltimore police officers charged in Freddie Gray's arrest and death have been assigned to paid administrative duties until a department internal affairs review is completed.
Montgomery and Howard county law enforcement are conducting investigations to determine whether any of the officers -- Lt. Brian Rice, Sgt. Alicia White and Officers Caesar Goodson Jr., William Porter, Garret Miller and Edward Nero -- broke department rules during Gray's arrest, transport and death in April 2015.
Miller and Nero will remain on paid administrative duties, while Goodson and Rice had their pay restored after their acquittals. Porter and White had been suspended without pay until Wednesday, when Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby dropped all charges against them.
Lt. Gene Ryan, of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the hope is the investigation will wrap up quickly so the officers can get back to work.
"Our union will continue to support our officers during the administrative hearings, and we believe these good officers will be returned to fulfilling their duties with the Baltimore City Police Department and serving the citizens of Baltimore every day," Ryan said.
All of the officers pleaded not guilty to criminal charges and will now be compelled to cooperate with the administrative reviews. The internal investigations for Rice, Goodson and Nero -- all of whom were found not guilty of any criminal charges in Gray's death -- were already underway. With Mosby's decision to end the criminal proceedings, reviews into Miller, Porter and White are expected to begin.
As part of the internal investigation, police will interview witnesses and other police officers to determine if the actions of the six officers coincide with department policy. The review can take months and will determine if the officers should be exonerated, punished or fired.
Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said the review from outside departments is important to begin to restore public trust.
"I know how important it is to the community to have faith and trust in the internal disciplinary system of the Police Department," Davis said in an interview. "To have a relationship built on trust in the community stems largely -- not exclusively, but largely -- on the timeliness and thoroughness of our internal investigations."
Gray, 25, died a week after sustaining a severe spinal injury in the back of a police van.
