Judge: William Porter needn't testify in fellow Baltimore cop's trial, for now

By Aaron Cooper and Greg Botelho, CNN

Updated 1836 GMT (0236 HKT) January 8, 2016

Six Baltimore police officers were charged in the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, who died of a severe spinal-cord injury while in police custody. But there were no convictions in the case. Three of the officers were acquitted before <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/27/us/freddie-gray-verdict-baltimore-officers/index.html">prosecutors dropped the charges against the remaining three in July 2016</a>. Seen here is <strong>Lt. Brian Rice</strong>, who was part of the bike patrol that arrested Gray. On July 18, 2016, Rice was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office in connection with Gray's arrest and death.
Photos: Baltimore officers in Freddie Gray case
Six Baltimore police officers were charged in the April 2015 death of Freddie Gray, who died of a severe spinal-cord injury while in police custody. But there were no convictions in the case. Three of the officers were acquitted before prosecutors dropped the charges against the remaining three in July 2016. Seen here is Lt. Brian Rice, who was part of the bike patrol that arrested Gray. On July 18, 2016, Rice was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office in connection with Gray's arrest and death.
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Officer <strong>Caesar Goodson</strong> drove the van in which Gray was fatally injured. On June 23, Goodson <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/23/us/baltimore-goodson-verdict-freddie-gray/" target="_blank">was found not guilty</a> on all charges, including the most serious count of second-degree depraved-heart murder.
Photos: Baltimore officers in Freddie Gray case
Officer Caesar Goodson drove the van in which Gray was fatally injured. On June 23, Goodson was found not guilty on all charges, including the most serious count of second-degree depraved-heart murder.
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<strong>William Porter</strong> was the first of the six officers to face a trial. It <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/16/us/baltimore-police-trial-freddie-gray/" target="_blank">ended in a mistrial</a> in December, and he had been scheduled to be retried before prosecutors dropped the charges against him. Porter was summoned by the van's driver to check on Gray during stops on the way to a police station. Prosecutors said Porter should have called a medic for Gray sooner than one was eventually called, and they said he also should have ensured that Gray was wearing a seat belt. Porter had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
Photos: Baltimore officers in Freddie Gray case
William Porter was the first of the six officers to face a trial. It ended in a mistrial in December, and he had been scheduled to be retried before prosecutors dropped the charges against him. Porter was summoned by the van's driver to check on Gray during stops on the way to a police station. Prosecutors said Porter should have called a medic for Gray sooner than one was eventually called, and they said he also should have ensured that Gray was wearing a seat belt. Porter had been charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office.
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