The Latest: Defence faces fewer questions in Gray trial

BALTIMORE – The Latest on the trial of an officer charged in the arrest of Freddie Gray, a young black man who died after he was injured in police custody (all times local):

12:45 p.m.

An attorney for an officer charged in the arrest and subsequent death of Freddie Gray has told a judge that the officer acted reasonably and did nothing wrong.

Officer Edward Nero’s attorney got a handful of questions from a judge during closing arguments Thursday, but the inquiries were far fewer than what prosecutors faced.

Defence attorney Marc Zayon told Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams that Gray’s detention was legal, and that Nero acted as any reasonably officer would under the circumstances.

The judge is expected to render his verdict Monday.

Nero faces assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges stemming from Gray’s arrest last year. Gray died a week after his neck was broken in the back of a police van. He was handcuffed and shackled, but not buckled in with a seat belt, which is the department’s policy.

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11:25 a.m.

The judge in the trial of an officer charged in the arrest of Freddie Gray is aggressively questioning prosecutors during closing arguments, repeatedly asking them when the alleged assault occurred.

Officer Edward Nero faces assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges. The assault charge carries a maximum of ten years in prison, while the other charges have five-year maximums.

Prosecutors say Nero unlawfully arrested Gray, and was negligent when he failed to buckle the man in a police van.

Baltimore Circuit Judge Barry Williams asked prosecutors on Thursday about when the alleged assault occurred and whether every officer who makes an arrest without probable cause should be charged with a crime.

Grey died last year, a week after his neck was broken in a police van. He was handcuffed and shackled, but unrestrained by a seat belt. The department’s policy is for detainees to be belted in.

The defence is now giving its closing arguments.

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10:10 a.m.

Prosecutors and defence attorneys will deliver closing arguments in the trial for an officer charged in the arrest and subsequent death of Freddie Gray.

Officer Edward Nero faces assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment charges. The assault charge carries a maximum of ten years in prison, while the other charges have five-year maximums.

Grey died last year, a week after his neck was broken in a police van. He was handcuffed and shackled, but unrestrained by a seat belt. The department’s policy is for detainees to be belted in.

Prosecutors say Nero unlawfully arrested Gray, and was negligent when he failed to buckle the man in.

Nero’s attorney argues his client didn’t arrest Gray, and that it is the police van driver’s responsibility to buckle in detainees.