The Latest: Defence rests after 8 witnesses in Gray trial

BALTIMORE – The Latest on the trial for Officer Edward Nero, who is facing charges stemming from the arrest and subsequent death of Freddie Gray:

12:15 p.m.

The defence has rested its case after calling eight witnesses in a trial for a Baltimore police officer charged in the arrest of Freddie Gray.

Closing arguments are set for Thursday and the judge’s verdict is expected Monday.

Prosecutors say Officer Edward Nero illegally arrested Gray last year without probable cause, and was negligent when he failed to secure Gray in a police van with a seat belt. Nero’s attorney says his client wasn’t involved in Gray’s arrest, and that it’s the responsibility of a police van’s driver to make sure a detainee is belted in.

Grey died April 19 of last year, a week after his neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled in the back of the van.

Nero is charged with assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment.

He’s the second of six officers to stand trial.

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11:15 a.m.

A pair of law enforcement officers testified about departmental policies and procedures in the trial of a Baltimore officer charged in the Freddie Gray case.

Officer Zachary Novak, who was on the scene when Gray was arrested, said Wednesday that Gray was agitated, screaming and kicking inside the police transport van. Capt. Justin Reynolds testified there would have been no possible way to buckle Gray in if an officer was trying to prevent himself from being assaulted.

Officer Edward Nero is on trial on assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges. Gray died April 19, a week after his neck was broken in the back of the wagon while he was handcuffed and shackled, but left unrestrained.

The department’s policy required officers to buckle in prisoners.

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9:30 a.m.

Defence attorneys will finish presenting testimony in the case against a Baltimore police officer charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray, who died after being injured in the back of a police van.

The defence is expected to finish Wednesday and closing arguments are expected Thursday.

Officer Edward Nero faces assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges.

Grey died April 19, 2015, a week after his neck was broken in the back of a police van while he was handcuffed and shackled, but not restrained by a seat belt.

Prosecutors say Nero unlawfully arrested Gray, and the officer was negligent when he didn’t buckle the prisoner into a seat belt.

Nero’s attorney says another officer was responsible for Gray’s arrest and the wagon driver is the one who should have made sure Gray was buckled in.