The trial for the six police officers charged with the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray is set for Oct. 13 with Judge Barry G. Williams, a former city prosecutor and civil rights litigator with a no-nonsense reputation, set to preside.
The officers that were indicted have all entered not-guilty pleas in writing and have requested a jury trial, according to The Baltimore Sun. The legal move by the six suspects allows them to avoid appearing next week for court arraignments.
Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn J. Mosby stated that the appointment of Judge Williams is a step in the right direction. "We look forward to trying this case before Judge Williams," she said. "The defendants have all entered not guilty pleas, which is their right. All defendants in this case are presumed innocent, until, or unless they are found guilty."
The officers involved in the case are charged with second-degree murder, assault, false imprisonment and misconduct in office, according to Reuters. The suspects are multicultural, with three being black and three being white.
Attorney Warren Alperstein, who represents the city's bar association, said Judge Williams' presence in the courtroom will ensure that the case is handled as impartially as possible, reports The Baltimore Sun. "He is a no-nonsense, fair and practical judge who will no doubt control that courtroom," he said, adding that (Williams is) "neither state- nor defense-oriented by reputation."
"The reality of it is there are certain judges that the state would prefer and there are certain judges that the defense would prefer, but Williams is neither," Alperstein said.
"He will not be persuaded by media. He will not be influenced by public sentiment. He will rule as the law will require him to do. Period. There will be no outside influences," he added.
Freddie Gray suffered a severe spinal injury while under police custody in April. His death, a week after he was arrested, rekindled strong feelings of racial discrimination, resulting in violent protests that escalated to a point where the National Guard was deployed to intervene and restore order.
