Brian Rice, Baltimore Police lieutenant, acquitted of all charges in Freddie Gray case

A Baltimore judge on Monday acquitted police Lt. Brian Rice of all charges in the 2015 arrest and death of Freddie Gray, making him the third officer in a row to be cleared in the case.

The lieutenant is the fourth and highest-ranking of six officers to face trial in the Gray incident. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

Gray, a 25-year-old black man, was handcuffed and shackled but not secured in a seat belt during a 45-minute ride to a booking facility.

Gray died April 19, 2015, a week after his neck was broken in the back of the van. His death and funeral touched off days of protests and rioting in Baltimore.

In closing arguments, as well as throughout the trial, prosecutors had argued that Lt. Rice was negligent when he handcuffed and shackled Gray but did not secure him in a seat belt him in the van.

“This was a violation of his duty to ensure [Gray’s] safety,” Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow argued Thursday.

The state also contended that Lt. Rice, as the highest-ranking officer at the scene, should have at least instructed subordinate officers to secure Gray with a seat belt. Prosecutors brought up a 2014 email from the police commissioner that underscored that officers should seat belt prisoners while they’re being transported.

But Michael Belsky, Lt. Rice’s attorney, said the policy allows officers to use discretion if they believe their safety is at risk. He said that Lt. Brian Rice feared for his safety when he decided not to get into a transport van and secure Gray in a seat belt because of Gray’s combative nature and an unruly crowd that had gathered at the scene of the arrest.

“What he did was professional,” the defense attorney said. “This was not a scene where people are happy or cooperative.”

The bench trials of two other officers ended with acquittals from Judge Barry Williams in June; a trial ended with a hung jury in December, and a retrial is set for September.

Three other Gray-related trial are scheduled: Officer Garrett Miller beginning July 27, Sgt. Alicia White starting Oct. 13, and Officer William Porter’s retrial beginning Sept. 6.