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Baltimore protester arrested at first Freddie Gray court hearing Baltimore protester arrested at first Freddie Gray court hearing
(35 minutes later)
Police arrested one protester on Wednesday morning, as a crowd gathered outside the first court hearing since six Baltimore police officers were criminally charged in the death of Freddie Gray.Police arrested one protester on Wednesday morning, as a crowd gathered outside the first court hearing since six Baltimore police officers were criminally charged in the death of Freddie Gray.
Related: All six Baltimore police officers in Freddie Gray case indicted by grand juryRelated: All six Baltimore police officers in Freddie Gray case indicted by grand jury
Gray was an African American man who died in April, a week after suffering a critical spinal injury in custody. His death led to protests and a riot that prompted the deployment of the national guard and the mayor to declare a city-wide curfew. A witness told the Guardian the arrested protester, Kwame Rose, had been struck by a vehicle and may have been pepper-sprayed.
On Wednesday at the Baltimore circuit court, prosecutors and defense attorneys were set to present arguments on three key issues: whether state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby, who became a national figure when she announced charges against the officers, should recuse herself; whether the officers should be tried together or separately; and whether the charges should be dismissed. Gray was an African American man who died in April, a week after suffering a spinal injury in custody. His death led to protests and a riot that prompted the deployment of the national guard and the mayor to declare a city-wide curfew.
The officers face charges that range from second-degree assault, a misdemeanor, to second-degree “depraved-heart” murder. On Wednesday the court heard motions from the defence team for the police officers. The defence called for the district attorney’s office and state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby, who became a national figure when she announced charges against the officers, to be recused from the case.
On Wednesday, dozens of sheriff’s deputies were patrolling the streets. Up to 75 protesters assembled outside the court, carrying yellow signs with slogans including “Stop racism now” and “Indict, convict, jail”. One banner read: “Justice 4 Freddie Carlos Gray”. The charges against the officers range from second-degree assault, a misdemeanor, to second-degree “depraved-heart” murder.
#WJZ NOW: #FreddieGray @cbsbaltimore pic.twitter.com/zo5RTRfORm The defence claimed statements made by Mosby on the day she announced the charges had “poisoned the minds” of potential jurors, “basically trampled” on the defendants’ fair-trial rights and “made a fair trial difficult or possibly impossible”.
The protesters chanted “Tell the truth and stop the lies, Freddie Gray didn’t have to die” and “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail. The whole damn system is guilty as hell”. The defence also claimed that Mosby had “led a sort of pep rally”.
Protesters briefly stopped traffic near the city’s Inner Harbor neighborhood, near the courthouse, reporters on the scene and local news outlets reported before 10am. Police arrested one protester, a statement said.
Police make arrest as pre-trial hearings begin in the #FreddieGray case. http://t.co/DBF4SVhPVY pic.twitter.com/Frje3sQATtPolice make arrest as pre-trial hearings begin in the #FreddieGray case. http://t.co/DBF4SVhPVY pic.twitter.com/Frje3sQATt
Some reported that the protester arrested had been struck by a car and injured, but that was debated widely on social media and could not be independently confirmed by the Guardian. As her representatives defended her against a motion they called “nonsensical and ridiculous”, Mosby sat silently in court.
An ambulance was eventually called for the man. As he sat on the back of a police van waiting for medical technicians, protesters chanted: “Take off the cuffs”. “Forests have been destroyed by the amount of paper defense have used to argue these issues, and they are simply not trial issues,” the prosecution said.
Outside, a group of roughly 20 protesters marched from the courthouse steps down to the inner harbour. One of them, Rose, appeared to have been struck by a vehicle on the street.
Megan Kenny, another protester, witnessed the event. “We did block some traffic,” she told the Guardian. “Next thing I know, [Rose] was on the ground saying he was hit by a car.”She said Rose also looked like he had been sprayed with pepper spray, but said Rose did not confirm this.
An ambulance is here for @kwamerose. #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/hW8h7UrQbVAn ambulance is here for @kwamerose. #FreddieGray pic.twitter.com/hW8h7UrQbV
“He had stuff around his eyes, around his mouth,” she said.
Police handcuffed Rose, Kenny said, and put him in an ambulance. After that, the protesters dispersed.
Earlier, as dozens of sheriff’s deputies patrolled the streets, protesters outside the court carried yellow signs with slogans including “Stop racism now” and “Indict, convict, jail”. One banner read: “Justice 4 Freddie Carlos Gray”.
The protesters chanted: “Tell the truth and stop the lies, Freddie Gray didn’t have to die” and “Indict, convict, send those killer cops to jail. The whole damn system is guilty as hell.”
Protesters briefly stopped traffic near the city’s Inner Harbor neighborhood, near the courthouse, local news outlets reported before 10am.
One protester, Lee Paterson, said he remained concerned charges could be dropped.One protester, Lee Paterson, said he remained concerned charges could be dropped.
He also said: “You know, this whole thing is bigger than Freddie Gray. It’s about poverty.”He also said: “You know, this whole thing is bigger than Freddie Gray. It’s about poverty.”