Trial for second officer in Freddie Gray case pushed to Jan. 11

BALTIMORE, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The trial for the second officer in the Freddie Gray case is now set for Jan. 11, a Maryland Court system statement said Monday.

Officer Caesar Goodson Jr. is charged with second-degree murder and other charges in the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray, who sustained a broken neck and severe spinal cord injuries in the back of a Baltimore police transport van Goodson was driving. Gray's death ignited protests, rioting, looting and arson.

Pre-trial motions will be considered on Jan 6, where Goodson's attorneys will likely ask for the trial to be moved out of Baltimore. The judge denied a previous attempt to do so by attorneys for Officer William G. Porter, who was tried earlier this month. Jury selection is scheduled to begin Jan. 11.

Gray died April 19. A week earlier he was arrested by Baltimore police after a chase in the city's Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood.

The medical examiner ruled Gray's death a homicide and the Baltimore State's Attorney filed charges against Goodson, Porter and four other officers.

During Porter's trial, he testified he told Goodson while they were in transit that Gray needed medical attention.

Porter's trial ended in a mistrial earlier this month when jurors could not reach an agreement on the charges. Porter's retrial is now set for June 13.