Baltimore Police React to Mistrial in Freddie Gray’s Case

Baltimore Police React to Mistrial in Freddie Gray's Case

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Dec 17, 2015

In mid-December, the trial of Baltimore Police Officer William G. Porter concluded in a hung jury. The 12-person jury could not agree in its deliberations, and the judge declared a mistrial. Porter had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in the office following the death of 25-year-old Freddie Gray in police custody back in April of 2015.

The Baltimore police department responded shortly after the mistrial was announced, stating that it has respect for the criminal justice process. Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake joined Police Commissioner Kevin Davis with a united message. They asked residents to respect the outcome of the judicial process and while they respect the right for a group of people to join in protest, they hoped it would be peaceful.

Baltimore PD prepared for the verdict of this case at least a week in advance, cancelling all leave for the week the verdict was to be read, ensuring there would be plenty of officers on duty if there was any fallout. According to a report, all sworn personnel would be assigned to 12-hour shifts throughout the week.

The preparation made sense, as large riots broke out around the city in April following Gray’s death. Fires, looting and other violence at that time prompted the Baltimore mayor to impose a curfew for several days and the Maryland governor to declare a state of emergency. They also deployed the National Guard.

Because of the past events, Commissioner Davis urged protestors to stay calm and protest in a peaceful way. He stressed that the police department would protect the right of Americans who want to peacefully demonstrate, while being clear that demonstrators who became violent toward people or property “lose the ability” to call themselves protestors.

“We respect the right of Americans to protest,” Commissioner Davis said.  “Protestors who are lawfully assembled have a friend in the Baltimore Police Department. We are here to serve as peacekeepers. We respect the right to protest, we respect the protestors ... We will do everything we can to afford them the ability to protest in this city.”

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

  • AI Is Now the Leading Cybersecurity Concern for Security, IT Leaders

    Arctic Wolf recently published findings from its State of Cybersecurity: 2025 Trends Report, offering insights from a global survey of more than 1,200 senior IT and cybersecurity decision-makers across 15 countries. Conducted by Sapio Research, the report captures the realities, risks, and readiness strategies shaping the modern security landscape. Read Now

  • Analysis of AI Tools Shows 85 Percent Have Been Breached

    AI tools are becoming essential to modern work, but their fast, unmonitored adoption is creating a new kind of security risk. Recent surveys reveal a clear trend – employees are rapidly adopting consumer-facing AI tools without employer approval, IT oversight, or any clear security policies. According to Cybernews Business Digital Index, nearly 90% of analyzed AI tools have been exposed to data breaches, putting businesses at severe risk. Read Now

  • Software Vulnerabilities Surged 61 Percent in 2024, According to New Report

    Action1, a provider of autonomous endpoint management (AEM) solutions, today released its 2025 Software Vulnerability Ratings Report, revealing a 61% year-over-year surge in discovered software vulnerabilities and a 96% spike in exploited vulnerabilities throughout 2024, amid an increasingly aggressive threat landscape. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.