Freddie Gray trials: Prosecutors seek to force officer to testify

0
33

— Baltimore prosecutors want to force a second police officer, Garrett Miller, to testify against two other officers before his upcoming trial.

Miller and Officers Caesar Goodson, Edward Nero, William Porter, Lt. Brian Rice, and Sgt. Alicia White face upcoming trials in the death of Freddie Gray.

Gray died April 19, 2015, after being seriously injured while in police custody, sparking riots.

In court documents the state says, “It may be necessary to the public interest in the case” to call Miller to testify in the May 10 trial of Nero and July 5 trial of Rice.

Miller’s trial is not scheduled to start until July 27.

“Officer Garrett Miller is likely to refuse to testify … on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination,” prosecutors wrote, noting Miller’s Fifth Amendment rights.

They want the judge to order Miller to testify under the Maryland immunity law, which forces him to testify but prevents the state from using his testimony, or anything derived from it, in his trial.

He is the second of the officers the state hopes to force to testify.

On March 8 the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled William Porter could be compelled to testify under the immunity law in all five of the other trials.

The trials are scheduled:

Edward Nero, May 10

Caesar Goodson, June 6

Brian Rice, July 5

Garrett Miller, July 27

William Porter, September 6

Alicia White, October 13