Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Barry Williams acquitted Nero on all three misdemeanor charges after the former officer waived his right to trial by a jury earlier in May, WJZ-TV reported.
BREAKING: Officer Edward Nero acquitted of all charges for his role in arrest, death of Freddie Gray #NeroTrial
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) 23 мая 2016 г.
Nero was charged with reckless endangerment for failing to seatbelt Gray when he loaded him into the police transport vehicle, and with assault because he touched Gray when handing him over to other officers.
Five other Baltimore officers are charged in connection with Gray’s death. The 25-year-old African American man was arrested on April 12, 2015 and died one week later after suffering a spinal injury while in police custody.
Gray’s death in police custody from the injury which many believe was caused by a deliberately “rough ride,” led to an enormous uprising throughout the city, leaving the community squaring off with a heavily militarized police force, as well as the National Guard.
Gray’s death in Baltimore, along with similar incidents in other US cities, sparked the "Black Lives Matter" movement and a nationwide effort to re-examine police practices.
