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Baltimore protester arrested at first Freddie Gray court hearing Freddie Gray trial judge denies motion to remove Marilyn Mosby from case
(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. A Baltimore judge on Wednesday denied a raft of motions aimed at removing state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby from a case involving six police officers 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
A witness told the Guardian the arrested protester, Kwame Rose, had been struck by a vehicle and may have been pepper-sprayed. The motions filed by the defence team aimed variously to sanction or recuse Mosby, who became a national figure when she announced the charges against the officers.
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 charges 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. In court, judge Barry Williams described one of the motions – which claimed that by reading the probable cause statement in a press conference on the day her office filed charges, Mosby herself became a witness and should therefore be prevented from the case – as “mind-boggling”.
The charges against the officers range from second-degree assault, a misdemeanor, to second-degree “depraved-heart” murder. Gray 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 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”. Outside the courthouse, a small crowd of protesters gathered, holding signs and chanting “tell the truth and stop the lies – Freddie Gray didn’t have to die”. After the hearing began the group marched to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor area, where one protester, Kwame Rose, appeared to have been struck by a car and arrested.
Megan Kenny, another protester, witnessed the event.
“We did block some traffic,” she said. “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. “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.
A spokesperson for the Baltimore City police department said “the arrested individual” was awaiting booking, but denied that he had been pepper-sprayed and said: “Contrary to some reports on social media, there was no Taser deployment.”
Baltimore police said the person had been arrested for blocking a roadway, and that an officer had sustained minor injuries in the process of making the arrest.
In court, attorneys for the defence claimed statements made by Mosby on the day she announced the charges “poisoned the minds” of potential jurors, “basically trampled” on the defendants’ fair-trial rights and “made a fair trial difficult or possibly impossible”.
The defence also claimed that Mosby had “led a sort of pep rally”.The defence also claimed that Mosby had “led a sort of pep rally”.
Police make arrest as pre-trial hearings begin in the #FreddieGray case. http://t.co/DBF4SVhPVY pic.twitter.com/Frje3sQATt
As her representatives defended her against a motion they called “nonsensical and ridiculous”, Mosby sat silently in court.As her representatives defended her against a motion they called “nonsensical and ridiculous”, Mosby sat silently in court.
“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.“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/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”.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.” The protesters chanted: “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 that 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.”